Butterfly with Broken Wings
by VECTORmovies
Summary: Afghanistan, 1986. With the threat of Skull Face gone, Diamond Dogs flourishes and becomes a superpower among PF organizations. Big Boss is a legend and jobs are not hard to come by. But the Phantom Pain never lets up. After everything he has done and accomplished, Snake can't help but still feel empty inside. But when a ghost of the past returns, a new chapter begins.
1. Just Another Day in a War Without End

"Boss…"

The voice trailed off, like it was never there.

"Boss…"

Snake's eye shot open, the voice, this time, touching his consciousness.

Taking a deep breath, Snake looked towards the man hovering over him. His face was covered with a black mask, but his Boss knew him to be a Diamond Dog without mistake.

"I gave you an anti-venom."

Venom… a word that shot a searing pain through Snake's right arm as he blinked blindly, attempting to remember the events that had happened not shortly before. _Where's Quiet?_

"Where's Quiet?" This time his thoughts becoming words.

"I…"

The wounded soldier did not need to see the man's expression, the worry in his eyes told him everything. The moment did not last long, as the Diamond Dog quickly changed subjects.

"We've got to go."

Fully conscious, Snake was now aware that they were not alone. Two more men, his men, crouched nearby keeping watch. The dull throbbing in his head was now replaced with the rhythmic beat of helicopter rotors. Snake grunted as the man helped him to his feet, only to push him away before being supported on his shoulder. The soldier accepted his Boss' independence and turned towards his comrades.

"Let's go boys."

No exchange was needed as the three soldiers turned towards the helicopter, leaving Snake to himself. The wind had died down, but the dry air still felt rough on the weary soldiers face. _How long since the sandstorm passed?_ He did not know. Looking around, the Afghan desert was as peaceful as ever. Exhaling a weary breath, nothing caught his attention… except a trail of prints.

Snake blinked in disbelief at the small indentions in the sand, footprints trailing off in the distance. _They can't be, the perfect assassin doesn't leave a trace._ Snake looked towards the helicopter holding a low hover. His men didn't make these, the prints were too small. Was it possible that she would leave them on purpose? He had to know for sure.

No words were exchanged with his men as Snake began following the path, he knew they would wait for him. The trail was easy to follow, each step an equal distance apart. Only someone with such grace and careful placement could have left them. Each print was left with delicacy, avoiding rocks and small plants that could have obscured them. Snake kept his gaze fixated on the soft trail regardless. With each step, he could picture her leading him up the hillside, or was she simply walking away. Snake had hoped the former, but the end suggested the other as he soon found himself staring off a cliff, looking towards the horizon. _No… no… that can't be all._ A scan of the area bore no fruit. The prints simply ended, just as easily as they had appeared.

Tilting his head towards the horizon, Snake closed his eye letting the cool breeze dry his sweat. Though he no longer had sight, Snake could have sworn he felt the formation of a tear in his right eye. The moment, however, was broken by the sound of a light tap. Blinking, Snake turned his attention towards a barren tree standing alone atop the ridge. A cassette tape, attached to a thin string, tapped the dry bark whenever the wind picked up. Before it could make contact though, Snake grabbed it, pulling it from its string. There was no note, no message, but he knew it was not there by accident. Slipping it into his cassette player, Snake pulled up his iDroid.

*Click*

 _"I did not choose to be Quiet. I wanted to express my feeling to you. If only we shared a common tongue."_

The message was short, but the words… beautiful. The weary soldier took a deep breath as he closed his eye. Her words continued.

 _"Vengeance is what drove me to them… the only language left to me, revenge. But the words we shared… no, that was no language at all. That is why… I chose the language of gratitude instead, and go back to silence. I am Quiet… I am… the absence of words."_

*Click*

The message had ended, but Snake remained… motionless. He could still hear her voice, the sweet accent of her words ringing in his ears. With a down cast eye, he knew… she was gone. The only thing he regretted the most…

…was not being able to say goodbye.

* * *

 **Chapter I** _  
Just Another Day in a War Without End_

* * *

 **Northern Kubal, Afghanistan  
** **Spugmay Keep  
** **1130 Hours**

 **Two Years Later**

The midday sun was blistering hot, more so than usual. Snake knew D-Horse was uncomfortable as well, shifting his body underneath him.

"Easy there."

The feeling of his riders hand running down the side of his neck comforted the weary animal. It did not last long as Snake returned his attention to the valley that stretched out in front of him. Just over two years ago Snake remembered looking out at the same view, Ocelot by his side. Rescuing Kaz was the beginning of their operations in Afghanistan, and yet, even after more than two years, they still had work coming in. Skull Face may be gone, but the Soviets still occupied, and the Mujahideen still had a war to fight. War is good for business. Snake knew this better than anyone else.

D-Horse shifted his stance again, bringing Snake back from his thoughts. After another pat on his neck, Snake pulled out his iDroid.

 _"The target is located in Da Wialo Kallai."_

The sound of Kaz's recorded briefing cracked in Snake's ear.

 _"If our intel is correct, he is scheduled to be executed around 1300 hours. That does not give us a lot of time. Obviously, we can not allow this to happen. This is the first solid lead we have had in a month, and the information dies with him if we allow the Soviets to kill the poor bastard. You know what to do Boss, get our unlucky dog out of there."_

Snake looked over the briefing notes. He recognized the picture of the captive as Running Sloth. Why he was assigned that codename Snake would never understand, but he was a damn fine intel agent non-the-less.

 _Enough wasting time._

Snake closed the iDroid and shifted his focus across the valleys expanse. Da Wialo Kallai shimmered in the distance, as if it was a mirage. The ride would not be long…

 **1200 Hours**

Business as usual within the Soviet outpost. Guards walking around and chatting amongst themselves, sleeping against a wall or a makeshift bed, hopelessly swatting flies away in the desert sun, and other daily tasks. Snake heard everything through the microphone equipped on his in-scope, but none of the conversations caught his attention. A comment about the legendary "Big Boss" would occasionally cause him to crack a smile but it was nothing he hadn't heard before.

Scanning the village, the only thing to catch his attention was a single doored hut, just beyond a small stream. Two guards stood fixed, equal distances from the door, another around the corner. Snake knew that was the place, their behavior was different from the others in the village.

Satisfied with his recon, Snake returned the scope to his belt and searched for a place of entry.

 _Cutting through the village would be faster, but flanking around to the rear would be safer._

Looking down, his watch read 1218.

 _I'll go around._

Having made his decision, Snake dropped from the rock he had perched himself on and, after giving a quick glance and nod to D-Horse, began making his way towards the village. The chatter of Soviet soldiers grew louder as he got closer, but like a hunter, Snake kept enough distance to ensure the enemy would not be able to identify him.

Skirting around the village proved to have its benefits. Snake counted at least a dozen more hostile combatants stationed in various positions he could not see with his in-scope. Had he had time, a more thorough recon of the village would have been conducted. No time for that now though.

Approaching the hut, Snake counted two more guards that he had not initially seen. Their attention was on each other though, making idle conversation while one lit himself a cigaret. Snake could smell the smoke as he approached, concealing himself behind a waist-high wall located a short distance from his target. Peaking over the rough concert, careful to avoid causing any disturbance, the hunter watched the group of soldiers. Their dust covered faces told him they must have been standing guard for some time. One even appeared to be holding in a yawn before producing a heavy exhale. All of them, unaware of the venomous eye watching them carefully.

Holding his breath, Snake slowly pulled his AM D114 from its holster, pulling the slide cover back ever so carefully to check his weapon, ensuring that one was in the chamber. The hunter then produced a silencer from a pocket on his left leg, twisting it slowly on the end of the weapon. The air was stiller than usual, and each rotation of the silencer caused a metallic ring in Snake's ears. He was used to this sensation… the calm before the storm, the stillness that accompanied an approaching battle. One wrong move and he knew the whole village would swarm his position like a pack of angry hornets.

 _Five soldiers, two on the opposite end of the building._ Snake thought to himself as he planned his attack. If he could take out the three in the rear, without alerting the two in the front, he knew he could be in-and-out before anyone noticed what had happened. Peering over the crumbling wall again, two of the soldiers continued to talk amongst each other. The third had moved closer to Snakes position, but his attention was taken to the ground, pushing the dusty rocks around with his boot. Now was the time.

A small, round rock proved to be the perfect distraction. A careful toss against a brick wall opposite Snakes position produced a loud enough thud to gain the attention of the three soldiers. With their backs turned to him, the Legendary Soldier exemplified his name. Like a deadly cobra, the snake struck at its prey with great precision. Producing a knife from his back, the predator sunk his teeth into the nearest soldier. The attack was as quick as it was silent, the sharp blade piercing its victim's back. Snake could feel the dull resistance as the razor edge sliced across the man's rib cage. Warm blood spat out, covering the hilt and hand that gripped it.

The victim lunged backward, but before a scream of agony could be produced, a bloodied hand was around his mouth and cheek. Little effort was needed to throw the paralyzed soldier to the ground. In the same motion, Snake came down on one knee, raising the sights of his weapon to his good eye. Time seemed to slow down as his muscles pulled the trigger. This moment was so natural that Snake sometimes believed he was not in control, but rather, a demon of death. The two soldiers a short distance from the predator never had a chance to turn around. One after another, their brains ran out of two .45 caliber holes. One in the back of their head, the other… between their eyes.

Their bodies went limp and crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dirt around them. The moment was over and the killer had full control of his body again. The air was still silent and calm; Snake knew conflict had been avoided, at least for now. Retrieving his knife, he moved towards the small hut.

The door was already unlocked, and pushed open easily. The creak of the rusty hinges was the only sound made, piercing the still air. The room itself was dark, causing Snake to blink several times before his vision adjusted to the change of light. A figure lay motionless in the corner, his back turned to the man that had just entered. Snake wasted no time crossing the cracked and sand covered floor, now hovering over the figure. Careful not to disturb the prisoner, he grabbed the man's shoulder and rolled him on his back. His face was gray and lips cracked, but he was alive… _still alive_. Snake was relieved as he hoisted the unlucky dog over his shoulders. Movement outside caught his attention.

 _Shit…_

The door swung open in the opposite room as two soldiers entered the hut. Sensing the approaching danger, Snake felt the demon take over again. The prisoner hit the floor with a thud as the predator lunged towards the surprised men. Using his bionic arm, Snakes first strike was aimed at the closest soldier. Though he could not feel the contact, the sound of a sharp crack let Snake know he had just broken the man's jaw. The soldier went limp, slumped against a wall as the snakes attack was turned toward its next victim. Just as fast as before, a knife found itself within a clenched fist. Snake wasn't sure if it was anger or fear that he saw in the man's eyes, of course it didn't matter as it was soon replaced by a foggy haze, the snake's teeth plunged into his sternum.

The air returned to silence.

* * *

The landing zone was not far from where the prisoner had been held. The hills and tree coverage always made for easy extractions, without the risk of being spotted. Snake was counting on this, as he knew the village was still occupied.

Upon arrival, the rescued prisoner was still unconscious; though with the help of the days light, Snake attributed this to the possibility of malnourishment and dehydration. Nothing he could do for him here, especially with him in an unconscious state.

Minutes passed before the sound of rhythmic chopper blades could be heard in the distance. A voice cracked over the radio a few seconds later.

 _"This is Devil Dog, approaching the LZ."_

Snake recognized the voice as the man who had taxied him two years ago. During that time he was known has Pequod, though, Diamond Dogs had seen an upgrade in its hardware since then. Like a wave of water, sand was thrown into the air as the helicopter crested the hill of the designated landing zone. It was of tiltrotor design, resembling the V—22 Osprey being developed in the United States. Though considerably larger than its predecessor, Devil Dog had its advantages. The tiltrotor functionality allowed for faster, more precise landings on almost any terrain. Distance was also less of a concern, the helicopter being able to fly farther and faster than anything Diamond Dogs had used before. Considering Mother Base (and Diamond Dogs in general) had grown exponentially since the Skull Face incident, Snake could understand why Kaz had wanted to upgrade their military hardware.

Snake put his arm up to his face, trying to avoid the kick up of sand, as the helicopter began to descend on his position. Before making contact with the ground, though, a ramp in the rear was lowered.

 _"On station at LZ, come aboard Boss."_ Snake's radio cracked.

Adjusting the man on his shoulders, Snake took a step onto the helicopter's ramp. In an instant, the entire atmosphere changed. The harsh Afghan environment soon became the comforting hum of metal and steel, and for that, Snake was grateful. Regardless of design, the helicopter had always been his home away from home, and refuge. Maybe it was disillusioned, but there was a strange sense of somber peace within its steel walls. The calm before the inevitable storm, a feeling he had grown so used to.

Devil Dog was Snakes personal transport helicopter, and was modified to be as such. Whereas the standard version (used by the bulk of Diamond Dogs) was designed to transport up to 24 operatives to Areas of Operation, Devil Dog had a majority of its seating arrangements removed to accommodate its Boss' needs. Near the front of the cabin was a cot and medical equipment, an upgrade Snake had been grateful to have on several occasions. A munitions and weapons rack was housed on the opposite wall providing easier access to weapon variations that did not require a return to Mother Base. Devil Dog was also equipped with long range communication radios. The equipment removed several rows of seating but was beneficial in reducing interference when making contact with Mother Base and did not require a secondary relay point. What was left of the personalized craft was seating for 7 people. Unlike Pequod before, Devil Dog was made up of a crew of 5. Snake had made an effort to learn all their names, or, at least their designated code names. Pequod (keeping his name from before as a form of symbolism) was the pilot, Doc was a combat medic, Wasp was the side door gunman, Wire was the communications operator, and Wrench was the helicopters flight engineer. Snake knew all of them to be good men.

Upon stepping onboard, Doc and Wrench helped haul the rescued prisoner from Snake's shoulders, carrying him towards the medical station.

"Mother Base, this is Devil Dog… we have secured the package and are RTB."

Snake looked towards Wire as he spoke. He was the youngest of the group at the age of 22, only having just been recruited. Had it not been for Ocelots suggestion, he may have not even ended up on The Boss's personal transport. Non-the-less, he was experienced at his job.

Snake regained focus with the jerk of the helicopter as it began ascending. Looking out the rear, the village of Da Wialo Kallai began to grow smaller as Devil Dog scurried away. Snake kept his eye on the ever reducing details of the village until it disappeared, washed away by the warm sands. The Boss remained still, watching the horizon, until the loading bay hatch was fully closed; sealing with a whispered hiss.


	2. Phantoms

.

.

.

* * *

 **Chapter II  
** _Phantoms_

* * *

"Boss…"

The accented voice was beautiful, touching Snake's consciousness like the sweet tune of a harp. But it was… sad, and sounded so very far away.

"Boss…"

Snake opened his eye, blinded momentarily by a ray of light that filled the cabin of the ACC so gloriously. When his vision came into focus… there she was, standing before him.

"Quiet?"

Snake's voice cracked, was that pain he sensed in his own words.

She did not respond, standing before him with her hands on the cabin's ceiling, holding herself in a forward position. Puzzled, Snake wasted no time taking in her form… a body he had not seen for two years. Her face was as soft as he remembered, complemented beautifully by two big green eyes; one of which was covered slightly by her bangs. Her attire was as revealing has it had always been, primarily due to her condition, though Snake noted her equipment harness was not present. Being the cold soldier that he was, Snake rarely partook in the practice of looking at women, though in this moment she was perched in such a way that her chest hovered closer than he had ever remembered it. Quiet cocked her head to the side as he continued trailing his eye down her body… down her slender legs, and to her bare feet. Snake squinted, confused as to why she wore no boots.

Looking back to her face, Snake jumped back from his slumped position with a gasp. The beautiful face, he had seen moments before, was now wrapped in pain and agony. Her skin was pale; cracked lips, leaking with blood in the corners. Her piercing green eyes wavered as tears began to form. But they were not tears that she shed… but the metallic sheen of red.

Snake gasped for air that was not there.

"Quiet!"

* * *

A violent jerk woke Snake from his sleep. Everything was quiet, except for the low hum of Devil Dog as it glided through the night. The air was cold and uninviting, chilling the sweat that had formed on his brow. Snake was grateful that no one seemed to have noticed his panicked expression and heavy breathing. Calming down, he inhaled a deep breath, holding it as he leaned back against the seat. Exhaling, Snake felt his heart slowing down. It had been two years… of course, he thought about her every once in a while but never had he seen her in a dream. And in such… a horrifying condition. Still shaken, Snake fruitlessly tried to forget the image that had just burned itself into his mind.

 _"Sorry about that bump back there boys."_ Pequod's voice came over the intercom. _"Storms approaching, we're about to get some bad turbulence."_

Looking around the cabin, Snake checked in on his men. Sitting across from him, Wasp rested in a deep slumber. The grizzled man was almost 56 by this time, having joined Diamond Dogs shortly after the Skull Face incident. It was not long until he was assigned to Devil Dog with the Boss; 'a perfect match' Ocelot had jokingly commented considering the old man did very little talking, though this was attributed to him being a defective Soviet who knew only the basics of the English language. Snake didn't mind, though.

Wire continued to monitor the communications equipment. Apart from him being 22, all Snake knew about the kid was that he was a new recruit. Ocelot had mentioned that he was from the States; earned a degree in technological engineering, but for whatever reason decided to leave after hearing about the legend of 'Big Boss'. Maybe he was just a kid trying to live some heroic fantasy, but in his short time working for Diamond Dogs, Snake had no complaints.

Doc sat next to Running Sloth, the rescued unlucky dog. He was an experienced combat medic and one of Diamond Dogs oldest members, having been recruited during Kazs' initial search campaign. Though Snake did not work with him much prior to a year ago, Doc was the man who had given him the anti-venom.

Wrench sat in the cockpit, running co-pilot with Pequod. She was American, same as Wire, but had spent ten years in the Armed Forces prior to joining Diamond Dogs. Having lost the bottom half of her left leg to an IED overseas, Wrench had been discharged four years ago but an overwhelming desire to continue the life of a soldier brought her into contact with Kaz. Though her prosthetic leg prevented her from a combat role, she found plenty of work within the ranks of Diamond Dogs.

The light patter of rain outside brought Snake's attention to a circular window behind his seat. The reflection in the glass was that of aging soldier; tired of the fight, but knowing there was no other life for him. For when the soldier died, he would not go to Heaven or Hell. Beyond his reflection, flashes of lightening danced within the dark, violent clouds. Occasionally, a bolt would strike near, causing the cabin to rattle with the disturbed air. The soldier, though, would not be disturbed; continuing to watch the storm as it twisted and morphed within the reflection of his own head.

Turning back around, Snake leaned against his seat and closed his eye. It was not long until he fell back asleep, though, she did not return to him again.

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **0730 Hours**

It was early in the morning when Devil Dog began its approach. The storm had passed hours earlier, leaving a heavy dew in the air that refracted the light of the sun as it rose above the endless sea. Colors of orange and red danced around the clear sky, shimmering in such a way that it could have blinded anyone who tried to gaze upon it. Snake paid little attention, though, having just woken up from a restless night.

 _"Tower, this is Devil Dog, requesting permission to land,"_ Pequod spoke over the radio.

 _"Permission granted Devil Dog, proceed to hanger 10."_ The response returned.

 _"Roger that Tower."_

Snake felt the shift in direction as the helicopter was turned towards its destination. Standing up, he walked towards the rear of the cabin, pulling a switch located on the wall. A high pitched siren echoed through the steel walls before being replaced by a sharp hiss; the hydraulics of the loading ramp shifting it into its open position. Snake waited for the ramp to lower before walking down it a short distance. Standing on the edge, supporting himself with the ceiling of the cabin, Snake looked down as Mother Base began to pass by beneath him.

Much had changed in the past two years, Mother Base now accommodating over 1200 personal. Though the original platforms remained relatively unchanged, new platforms and different facilities had been added to accommodate the ever changing makeup of the Diamond Dogs. The most noticeable change was the addition of Hanger Platforms. After having changed to the considerably larger V—22s, larger landing zones were needed. The Hanger Platforms accomplished this with the added benefit of providing protective canopies. The platforms themselves maintained the standard hexagonal shape, with the landing zone square in the center. Along three sides of the of the landing zone was the hanger, large enough to hold six birds. After landing, the helicopter would simply have to be taxied inside. Labeled 10 to 13, hanger 10 was located just off the original Command Platform, in between the Base Development Platform and the Intel Platform. Hanger 11 was built just off the Medical Platform, with a walkway connecting to the first and third deck. Hanger 12 found itself in a similar position near the R&D Platform, again, a walkway connecting the first and third dock. Hanger 13 was different from the other three. With the growth of personnel, Mother Base required expanded living quarters and barracks. To accommodate this need, two more decks had been added to the Combat Unit Platform just off the first and fourth deck. In doing so, a complete circle had been made. In the waters between, Hanger 13 was built, walkways connecting all six decks. Regardless of the addition of Hanger Platforms, the original landing pads had not been removed. Though many of the original helicopters had been decommissioned and scrapped for parts, Diamond Dogs still operated several of them for the purpose of transportation between platforms. Ultimately, the skies over Mother Base had become much busier than they had been two years ago. The increased traffic resulted in the construction of an Air Traffic Control Platform. Simply referred to as 'Tower', the platform was built as a fifth deck to the Command Platform, located between the Support and R&D Platforms. Its function was to coordinate and organize communications between helicopters both at the base and out in the field.

Mother Base was busy and full of life. Snake watched as helicopters landed on distant platforms and jeeps drove the interconnecting bridges. Cranes operated on all platforms, moving supplies and equipment around. Another V—22 passed close by, heading out to sea. In the past two years, Diamond Dogs had expanded its presence around the Globe, sending strike teams to whatever job paid the most. Sometimes it involved supporting a coup against a government, others, the government against an insurrection. Most times it was simple wet work; assassination, extraction, protection, and everything else that came their way. Diamond Dogs did the jobs that governments did not want to do themselves, were they had full deniability. It was not a glorious life, but it was theirs, non-the-less.

Snake looked down, watching rows of tents pass beneath him. This was the new Refugee Platform. Located between the Medical and Combat Unit Platforms, it had finished construction five months ago but already housed over 300 people. Most of them were families, or… used to be. The platform itself was larger than the others but only consisted of one deck. In the center was a building that acted as a bath house, kitchen, and communications hub. Beyond that, the deck was made up of rows of tents, each housing a different family. Conditions were not great and much of the space was cramped, but those that lived there were grateful; many having lost their homes around the world. Development for the platform had begun a year ago after a wet work job went wrong and resulted in civilian casualties. Snake himself had not been involved, but he had gotten word that their failed operation had destroyed several South African homes. Initially, refugees were permitted to stay in what was once used as the kids quarters, but as Diamond Dogs began bringing in more people, expanded living was required. Of course, Diamond Dogs did receive benefits from the platforms addition. In return for being provided a place to stay, a majority of the men had actually joined the Diamond Dog ranks. Those that did not wish to fight joined up elsewhere; base construction, supply support, medical assistance, and whatever jobs they could do to pay back the legendary 'Big Boss'.

With the Refugee Platform now in the distance, Devil Dog began flying over the Command Platform. Deck 4 passed underneath, then 3, then 2. Deck 1 was the most familiar to Snake. Though Mother Base now expanded miles beyond it with a web of interconnecting bridges, this was the original, the first platform Kaz had erected even before Snake had awoken. Devil Dog passed close by as it had begun its descent towards the hanger, the Diamond Dogs logo clearly visible to Snake's eye.

 _"This is Devil Dog, we are… touching down."_ Pequod was an expert pilot and never missed his mark.

The wheels made contact with the steel ground, Snake steadying himself with the accompanied jerk of the helicopter. Standing a short distance from the already lowered ramp, four Diamond Dogs stood at attention, saluting their Boss in perfect synchronization. Standing between them was Kazuhira Miller; the one armed and one legged man, and Snakes best friend. The Diamond Dogs XO shifted his weight on his cane as he watched the Boss walk down the ramp, giving a quick nod to his soldiers. Accepting the gesture of dismissal, the four soldiers marched past their Boss towards Devil Dog to provide assistance inside.

"Snake. Welcome back."

"Kaz."

The two began walking next to each other, Miller's cane tapping on the metal surface.

"The unlucky dog you extracted. How is he doing?" Kaz inquired.

"He's stable."

"Good. We'll have the medical team check him out before questioning him."

Snake responded with a simple grunt. Kaz continued.

"If his intel proves to be accurate, we may have a solid lead on one of the Soviet commanders operating in Afghanistan."

"Shotmaker." Snake injected, his words harsh.

"Unfortunately, that's the only name we have on the guy. Apart from that, all we know is this guy is no desk jockey. Word has it… he likes the fight."

"Are we any different Kaz." Snake stopped, looking toward his friend.

Kaz looked down to where his right arm used to be, the sleeve of his hollow jacket hanging towards the ground, occasionally shifting with the wind.

"You… maybe not." Kaz looked back up. "But me…"

Snake blinked for a moment before turning, continuing the walk towards the Command Platform.

The orange and red colors in the sky had vanished by time Snake and Kaz reached the Command deck. The day was still young, but the sun had risen high enough that shimmers of white light sparkled across the crystal blue sea.

The deck was as busy as it had always been. Soldiers moved about, stood guard, and talked amongst each other. Regardless of their task, when the Boss walked by, they always clapped their heels together and saluted. Snake would nod in response and the soldiers would continue their day.

"DD! Stay!"

Snake heard the voice of Ocelot call out before seeing the large, wolf-like dog sprinting towards him. Kneeling down, he opened his arms as the animal buried his head into his shoulder.

"DD!"

The animal wagged its tail as his master ran a hand over his back and behind his ear.

"Stand down DD," Ocelot called out as he calmly approached.

With a bark, the dog backed away from Snake, scampering off towards the edge of the deck. Snake watched the animal until Ocelot was standing over him.

"Welcome back Boss. How was the trip?" Ocelot inquired as Snake rose to his feet.

"Didn't get much sleep." Snake spoke softly.

"Because of the storm?"

"Yah… you could say that."

Ocelot looked at Snake in silence, perplexed as to how he had phrased his last sentence. Snake knew Ocelot was trying to figure him out, he was… good with people's minds and figuring out their thoughts. Kaz interjected though before Ocelot could figure out what had been on the Boss' mind.

"Any news from Africa?"

Ocelot turned towards the crippled man, an annoyed expression on his face.

"The report is the same as the other day, Miller. If Cipher was still out there… we would have heard about it by now."

Following the Death of Skull Face, Cipher (and XOF) continued to operate in Africa. Though Diamond Dogs did not know who had gained control, they continued to fight them. It wasn't until around a year ago that Cipher disappeared from Diamond Dogs radar, following an incident involving the boy Eli on an island off the coast of Africa.

After having captured Sahelanthropus, Eli created his own 'Kingdom of Flies', free from adults. Diamond Dogs operation, spearheaded by Snake himself, attempted to achieve two objectives: retrieve Sahelanthropus and extract Eli. The mission should have been simple, but reports indicated that Eli had acquired a sample of the English Strain parasite, and had infected himself with it. Not wanting to risk the possibility of it spreading, Diamond Dogs made plans to carpet bomb the entirety of the island after the mission was complete. On top of the already mounting problems, Cipher had also been actively looking for the Metal Gear and made plans to move on it.

The resulting fight; between Diamond Dogs, XOF, and Sahelanthropus (piloted by Eli) was complete chaos… resulting in many dead on both sides. In the end, Diamond Dogs came out on top, XOF forces decimated and Sahelanthropus turned to scrap metal. Eli, having reached maturity, was now a threat as the English strain began to activate within him. Ultimately, with the mission a failure, Snake left the boy to determine his own fate… on an island, that was about to be wiped out of the history books.

The scorched earth could be seen for miles; the English strain finally, and permanently, destroyed. As for XOF, and Cipher… they hadn't been heard from since.

Snake noticed the scowl beginning to cross Miller's face, unsatisfied with the answer.

"Cipher is still out there? Make no mistake… Cipher is still out there."

Kaz did not give Ocelot a second glance as he limped away, the sound of his cane becoming softer as he put distance between the two men. Ocelot watched him for a moment before turning towards Snake with a worried sigh.

"He hasn't moved on. After all this time."

Snake did not look at the Cowboy as he spoke, keeping his attention towards his wounded friend.

"He just needs… something to fight for."

Snake turned his attention to Ocelot again when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder.

"And you… need to get some rest." Ocelot commented, pointing a finger loosely towards Snake.

"I'll think about it." Snake responded, pushing the hand off his shoulder with the back of his own before walking away.

* * *

As time progressed, Snake found himself spending more time at Mother Base then before, sometimes, for days at a time. It wasn't that jobs were not coming in, but that Diamond Dogs had grown to the point where he was not the only person who had to be out in the field. Though he couldn't complain, Snake grew restless when he was not out on a mission, often times, spending his time walking between various platforms listening to cassette tapes he had acquired on his journeys.

It was one of those walks when it started raining. Though the sun was still out, the clouds darkened the sky, coloring the world a hazy gray. Looking up, Snake felt the drops of water begin to dampen his scarred face. The tape he had been listening to continued to play…

 _"… I wanted to express my feeling to you. If only we shared a common tongue. Vengeance is what drove me to them…"_

The accented words… Snake listened to them often. He had tried to forget them in the past but to no avail. Now, he accepted that there were some memories that… would not be forgotten.

The drops of rain had now become a shower, soaking through his uniform. While others may have become uncomfortable from the bone-chilling breeze, Snake had always found it refreshing and cleansing. Often times when out in the field, rain was the only thing that would wash away the dirt and blood.

Overhead, the sound of chopper rotors could be heard, though Snake could not see the source. Suddenly, as if out of thin air, a figure appeared in the sky. Pulling out his ear buds, Snake squinted, watching as the figure glided to the ground. It was a girl.

Gravity seemed to be non-existent, as she touched down with such grace and elegance. Following her movements, Snake began to hear the beat of his own heart in his head. His breath became long and shaky as the girl stretched her arms out, dancing in the rain. Snake wanted to move closer, but his legs would not carry him. He stood still, watching.

Throwing her boots off without concern, the girl slowly stripped herself of her leggings, exposing her bare skin. Snake watched as she continued her dance, moving to the ground. Despite the cold, hard surface of the deck, the girl rolled around the puddles of water that had formed. It was only when she was on her hands and knees, running her hands through the water that Snake noticed him… or… himself.

He watched as a phantom of himself walked up to the girl, her boots in hand. Startled, she quickly stood up and vanished from sight. Undeterred, Snake watched as the man emptied the boots of water and held them out to the empty air. The air, however, was not empty as the girl appeared before him, kicking water up with her feet. Putting her boots down, the two began splashing each other, going back and forth across the deck. Though he was a distance away, Snake could swear he began hearing the sounds of laughter in his head.

In her final leap, the girl came forward when she landed, being caught in the man's arms. Their faces… a short distance apart. Snake could feel his heart beating faster, the phantom pain returned to his fingers. The feeling of her wet skin… in his left hand.

The roar of thunder tore the moment apart. His heart stopped as Snake watched the girl throw her head back, blood pushed from her lips. A hole, the size of a quarter had been blown through her abdomen. A pained cry filled the air, forcing Snake to close his eye and cover his ears… though it was not enough.

When all was quiet again, Snake opened his eye. Standing before him was a man Snake did not recognize… and yet, felt a connection. The man wore no eye patch, but a bad eye remained. In his forehead, two pieces of shrapnel pierced him at an angle. His left arm was nothing but a stump. His features, though, Snake could not recall who this person was; this phantom. Snake gazed at him until the man spoke, his voice unrecognizable.

 _"After all this time… and you still don't remember."_

Snake wanted to speak back, but his lips would not move, he could only watch as the man stepped backward, vanishing into thin air.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!"

The words came to him with the crack of thunder. Collapsing to his knees, Snake could feel the beat of his heart slowing down. The rain had never stopped, even if Snake had forgotten that it was there. No part of his body was dry, and the chilly winds finally began to make him uncomfortable, though he did not move.

It was the sound of movement behind him that forced Snake to turn his head. Water had made his vision blurry, but the old man in a wheelchair was recognizable immediately.

"You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I don't know anymore."

Snake's words were soft, but he made sure to convey no hint of concern as he stood up and began walking away. He hoped the conversation would end there, but the feel of the old man's eyes watching him, told him otherwise.

* * *

Though he was permitted to leave whenever he so desired, Code Talker had remained with Diamond Dogs for the past two years. His people safe, and his work with the vocal cord parasites complete, Snake was actually surprised he decided to stay on. Describing the decision as 'loose threads still remained untied', though he never explained what this meant. Regardless, Diamond Dogs was happy to keep him around. Though he had little experience in field work, Snake appointed him as one of his advisors… even if it was just for moral advice. Maybe someday, Snake would talk to him about his nightmares and visions, but in the rain, was not the time or place.

* * *

It was banging on his door that woke Snake up from his nap. Grunting as he rolled out of his bed, Snake made his way to the door. Pressing a small button on the side made it slide open quickly, causing a sharp, piercing hiss as it opened. Miller stood on the other side.

"Kaz, what can I do for you?" Snake inquired, blinking as he regained focus.

"The man you brought back the other day. He's talking now… and knows where we can find Shotmaker.


	3. Black Site

.

.

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* * *

 **Chapter III  
** _Black Site_

* * *

 **Northern Kubal, Afghanistan  
** **Canyon Road  
** **1248 Hours**

 **Three Days Before Running Sloth's Rescue**

"TAKE SOME FUCKING COVER!"

The ground shook as an explosion tore apart the mountain side. Running Sloth was thrown to the ground from the shockwave, rocks and sand covering his body. Only minutes before, the Mujahideen had begun their ambush, unaware of the Soviets actual troop strength. His vision blurry, Running Sloth watched as the battle became one sided. Rebel soldiers were being torn limb from limb as if they were being run through a meat grinder by the sheer force of the Soviet's firepower. A tank would fire on their position, the explosion turning their bodies into a cloud of red dirt while others would be brought down by the resulting shrapnel. The screams of men dying filled the intel agents ear. Standing up, he fired a controlled burst from his automatic weapon, though the dust of the battlefield had made it difficult to identify the enemy. This was not at all how the mission was supposed to go…

Another tank shell landed nearby, sending Running Sloth into the air before he hit the ground hard. His body was hot with pain, but he managed to drag himself behind a rock with what little energy he had left. Laying next to him was a Mujahideen soldier. Running Sloth covered his mouth as he looked over the disfigured corpse. The man's skin was a pale white; half of his head had been blown open, and his brain marrow visible; his spinal cord rested on the ground as he had been torn in two. Running Sloth turned away and closed his eyes, with the sound of bullets whizzing by, deafening his right ear. That was when he felt the pain; when he felt a bullet tear through his right shoulder.

"FUCK!… Shit!"

Running Sloth grabbed his shoulder as he clenched his teeth. The pain was nothing he had ever felt before, nor could anything prepare him for it. Trying to avoid blacking out, he listened to the sounds of the battle, now muffled behind the throbbing in his head. The Mujahideen had already begun to retreat, their ambush a failure. Though the Soviets did not pursue, they continued to fire into the retreating Rebels, turning their bodies into swiss cheese. Running Sloth closed his eyes and hoped the enemy would not look for survivors.

His prayers would not be answered, though, a hard boot kicking him awake. The sun was high in the sky, blinding Running Sloth when he looked up at the silhouetted figure standing above him. The man spoke a few words in Russian that Running Sloth did not understand. He must have been calling for someone, though, as another man soon joined him. Details were still blurry to him, but just by looking at his silhouette, Running Sloth could determine this man as the detachment's commander. His very presence commanded respect and discipline, as he was much larger in stature than the others around him. The man sported a mohawk, the silhouetted design unmistakable by Running Sloth. He knew who was standing over him.

The two Soviet soldiers exchanged a few words, again to Running Sloths confusion. The conversation went sour fast, however, as the man with the mohawk pulled a pistol on the other and shot a round into his chest. Running Sloth could feel the splatter of blood hit his face as the man crashed to the ground. Pointing his gun towards his comrades, the mohawked man cried out a string of sentences. In response, Running Sloth watched as two more Soviets ran to their position. He was still blinded by the sun when he felt rough hands grab his arms and legs, lifting him into the air. What the Soviets had said, Running Sloth could not be sure, but their actions told him everything he needed to know… he was going to die.

(-)

 **Devil Dog  
** **En Route to Afghanistan  
** **1630 Hours**

Snake's iDroid chimed to life, the holographic display opening up as Kaz's voice began playing in his ear.

 _"Boss, after months of searching, we finally have a lead on the Soviet commander… Shotmaker. You remember Running Sloth? The man you rescued a few days ago? As you might recall, we put him into contact with a group of Mujahideen Rebel fighters after they contracted us."_

 _"What's the Rebels interest? Killing one commander won't end the war."_ Snake's own voice come over the recording.

 _"True… how the Rebels tell it, this guy is a real sadistic bastard. He oversees all the POWs that come through the region. Though, if the stories about him are true, those unlucky sons of bitches end up as subjects of research rather than prisoners. Apparently, he's opened up his own little black site here in Afghanistan. Until now, we just didn't know where to find it."_

 _"What changed?"_ Snake's voice again.

 _"Before we lost contact, our intel agent figured out how he moves prisoners throughout the region. He picks POWs up in trucks and transports them to his black site. If we can trail one… it might lead us right to him."_

There was pause in Kaz's recording, as if a thought had crossed his mind.

 _"Boss, you only have one objective… locate and eliminate Shotmaker, however, there is a very good possibility that you will encounter POWs in the black site; what you do with them, is up to you."_

Snake changed the iDroid's display to show what little notes of intel they had acquired. Diamond Dogs had never taken a clear photograph of Shotmaker, though Snake could recognize his distinguishable mohawk. The second photo was a map of the Northern Kubal region. Several of the outposts had been circled with timestamps written to the side. Running Sloth had identified these as the times Shotmaker's trucks made pickups. Satisfied, Snake stood up and faced his crew.

Wire sat in his usual position, monitoring radio chatter. Doc sat across from his Boss, looking over a collection of documents. Wrench stood at the equipment rack, ensuring the missions gear was in working order. Lastly, Wasp watched the clouds roll by as he manned Devil Dogs door mounted machine gun.

"Listen up…"

With resonance in his voice, Snakes command turned the heads of his crew towards him.

"The target is Shotmaker. If the intel we received is correct, a detachment of his men will be making a prisoner pick-up at Wakh Sind Barracks around 2100 hours. Trailing them is our best bet at finding the black site, and the man himself."

Snakes crew remained silent as he spoke.

"This is a complete stealth operation, one mistake and Shotmaker will vanish again. We take him down… and the Mujahideen will be one step closer to ending their war with the Soviets. Questions?"

The crew remained silent. Snake nodded in their direction as he sat back down, his crew returning to their duties.

* * *

 **1845 Hours**

The dark of night had set in when Devil Dog entered the skies of Northern Kubal. The cabin was still, but the crew could feel the tension of the pending mission. Snake had exchanged his regular fatigues for a pitch black sneaking suit, though he was not a fan of how tightly it gripped his body. Wrench approached, caring a large backpack, helping fasten it to her Boss' back before handing him a helmet. Grateful, Snake nodded to the women as she stepped away from him. Turning towards the rear of the helicopter, Snake fastened the helmet onto his head; it was a comfortably tight fit. Doc stood to his right, his hand over the ramp release switch.

"Let's do it."

Doc nodded in response and pulled the switch. The cabin lit up a deep red as the siren sounded, signaling the ramps pending open position. The hydraulics hissed as they began pushing, depressurizing the still air of the cabin. It was not long until the ramp had opened fully, allowing Snake a clear view of the passing countryside below.

Snake only waited for a second, before taking a deep breath and breaking for the exit. There was no fear, no second thought, and no question of what could go wrong as he jumped at the ramps edge; adrenaline coursing through his veins. The helmet dulled the sound of the wind as he plummeted towards the earth, though Snake could feel the pressure of it against his body. Time seemed to slow down as Snake approached the ground, though he knew it had only been seconds. He closed his eye and tensed his muscles as he pulled the release cord.

The patch of grass was soft where he landed; a cool breeze broke the hill tops and blew the blades in a synchronized dance. Taking his helmet off, Snake listened to the sounds of the Afghan night. Everything was quite, except for the whistle of the wind and the cry of wolves that echoed through the mountains. Slowly, Snake released the harness to his parachute, letting it fall silently to the soft ground.

"Devil Dog, this is 'Boss'." Snake spoke with hushed words. "I am on the ground; activating my IR beacon. Can you confirm visual contact?"

Taking his hand off his radio, Snake reached to the left side of his belt, pressing the button on a little black box firmly. Only a second passed before Wire's voice cracked in his ear.

 _"Roger that 'Boss', locked on your position."_

Looking around, Snake thought about his next move. Not far from him, he noticed a blue flower standing erect and alone amongst the ocean of green grass. It was not the flower, though, that had caught his attention, but the insect that had made it home. Standing atop the blue petals, a small butterfly gathered what nectar the flower could provide. Its wings were pale and void of color, unlike the beautiful flower it had landed on. As he watched it, Snake wondered what had brought it to this lone flower. His thought cut short, however, by the whistle of a breeze rushing through the valley. The grass, thin enough to withstand the push of air, parted ways as it blew through. The flower, though, its stem tall and brittle, could not move aside. Snake watched as it broke and collapsed to the ground. The butterfly made no attempt to flee, one of its wings having revealed itself to be torn and broken. The flower and the butterfly disappeared into the waves of grass, leaving Snake alone once again. Wolves continued to howl in the distance.

Wakh Sind Barracks was the only source of light that pierced the night sky. Careful to avoid the spotlights surrounding the outpost, Snake perched himself on the opposite cliffside. A road ran between him and the outpost, peppered with checkpoints and gun encampments. The outpost itself was built into the cliffside, with metal walls holding the rocks into place while acting as protective barriers. Scanning the cliffside, Snake searched for a place of entry. With luck, he noticed a crack that traveled up the otherwise unscalable rocks. Reaching its summit would allow him the opportunity to sneak around the rear of the base. Having made his decision, Snake put his scope away.

Climbing down his perch proved easy enough, though Snake now found himself in the valley that ran between the mountains; low ground that held no advantage, something Snake hoped to remedy shortly. The moon was high in the sky, and the cloudless night did not dampen the light.

Crouched, the hunter moved slowly through the valley; avoiding loose rocks and anything that could produce the smallest of sounds. The air was so still even the squeak of his sneaking suit rang loudly in his ears, though he knew this to be only the tension. A drainage tunnel provided an opportunity to cross the roadway without the risk of being caught in the spotlights, however, rain had made the mud soft and unpleasant. Snake could feel it plaster itself to his face as he crawled through. Coming out on the other end, the hunter wasted no time cleaning off, but let the mud become part of him as he continued towards the cliff.

Snake's bionic arm had always proven useful when climbing the cliffs of Afghanistan. The lack of pain he felt from it allowed him to wedge it between rocks and other objects that would otherwise cause damage to flesh and bone. The difficult task was not scaling the cliff, but ensuring that his climb did not disturb the already cracked surface. Upon reaching the top, the advantage the cliff provided was exactly what Snake had hoped for.

Following the rocky path around the base, Snake positioned himself in a spot that overlooked the complex. He was close to a flat area, appearing to have been converted into a landing pad for helicopters. Just next to that was a construction site, the skeleton of a building standing silently. Lights, Snake noted were being produced from below the first floor. Prisoners must be held below, though he knew if he did anything about it now, he would risk revealing Diamond Dogs presence. For once, the mission came first.

Beyond the landing pad and construction site was where activity was at the highest. Snake watched as Soviet soldiers moved amongst the barracks and other equipment that littered the ground. He had hoped many of the troops would have been asleep by now, though their activity did not surprise him considering the pending arrival of Shotmaker's convoy.

"Wire, I'm opening up the microphone channel. Give me simultaneous translation."

Snake pulled out his scope, waiting for a response.

 _"Copy that 'Boss'; setting up the channel now."_

Pointing the microphone in the direction of the enemy camp, Snake searched for conversations that could provide useful intel regarding his target. The translated voice spoke to him through his earpiece, though if a little delayed.

 _"_ _I fucked this bitch a few days ago…"_

Snake moved his attention, the conversation of no relevance to him.

 _"_ _I heard the Rebels retook Da Smasei Laman."_

 _"_ _No shit! Haven't they been trying that for weeks."_

 _"_ _Yah, apparently it holds some importance to them… hell if I know."_

 _"_ _Well I'm sure we'll take it back in do time."_

The microphone moved between groups.

 _"_ _That uh… mohawk'd man coming tonight?"_

 _"_ _Yah… picking up that guy trying to plant explosives the other day."_

 _"_ _Shit man, I almost feel bad for him, you know? After all the stories."_

 _"_ _What stories?"_

 _"_ _People talk about what goes on in that prison camp, if you can even call that. You know… I heard he even stitched up the mouth of one of the prisoners… just to keep 'em from screaming."_

 _"_ _Ha… wow. That's brutal. Guess that's what they get for being on the wrong side."_

Snake pulled the scope away from his eye, thinking about the words that had just been translated into his ear. Brushing it off, he returned his attention to the outpost.

Slowly, the hunter scanned the area with his scope. Finally, one conversation seemed to hold relevance. It was between a group of three soviet soldiers, standing around a fire. One of them wore a green cap; appearing to be in command of the camp, his orders to the other two were what had grabbed Snake's attention.

 _"…_ _they will be arriving shortly. All you have to do is load the prisoner up in the back and ride with him to the destination. Is that clear?"_ Snake was frustrated that he had missed the beginning of the conversation.

 _"_ _Understood Captain! Though, are we only transporting the one prisoner?"_ One of the soldiers inquired.

 _"_ _This is true, only the Rebel prisoner is leaving with you tonight. The other… is being transported to another location."_ Snake noticed as the commander took his eyes off of his subordinates, avoiding their gaze as he spoke the last words.

 _"_ _Permission to ask why, sir."_

The commanders attention snapped quickly to the man that had spoke up.

" _Those types of questions are what get men killed private."_

Snake pulled his scope away from his eye, looking towards the construction site, and the light that gave a ghostly haze from below. The mission must come first, he reminded himself.

The air grew heavy with moisture as clouds began to darken the night sky, blocking out the moon's light. Snake moved his eye to the clouds, watching flashes of light illuminate the sky. Despite the anticipation, rain did not come.

The wait was not long until beams of light appeared around the mountain ridge. Snake watched as two jeeps followed the road through the valley, a truck driving between. The three vehicles hastily drove through outposts forward checkpoints and up toward the barracks, stopping before entering the camp. Two men jumped out of the truck and made their way towards the outposts commander. Snake pulled up his scope and pointed it in the enemies direction.

 _"_ _Captain."_ The two soldiers gave a quick salute.

 _"_ _Follow me to the detention area."_ The commander responded, straight to business.

Snake followed the group with his scope until they were no longer visible, disappearing into the building under construction. Looking back towards the vehicles, the hunter watched as soldiers began pulling out cigarets and walking about. Their guard was down, opening up an opportunity.

Few guards had been placed near the rear of the outpost, giving Snake room to move freely without concern. It was not until he had passed the landing pad that enemy movement became more troublesome. Careful to avoid detection, the hunter hugged the rocks as he moved towards the camps metal gate.

The truck stood in silence just beyond the fence. Concealing himself behind the wall, Snake waited until there were no eyes on it, moving towards it when the opportunity presented itself. Careful not to cause any noise, Snake crawled underneath, facing the bottom of the truck. Using a hook attached to his sneaking suit, he tethered himself the bottom. Finding a place to set his feet and hands, Snake pulled himself against the truck, becoming invisible to those that did not look for him.

Minutes passed before Snake felt the truck begin to shift with the weight of men getting on board. Two climbed into the cabin, while three loaded up in the bed; one of the men suspected to be the prisoner. Snake noticed a pair of boots standing not far from his face. He kept his eye on them as the truck began to reverse, making its way out of the outpost.

The road was rough and rocky, requiring all of his strength to keep himself underneath the truck. Snake closed his eye for a majority of the trip, protecting himself from the mud and rocks being kicked up off the damp ground.

Occasionally the truck would stop at other outposts and checkpoints, but never for more than a few minutes. Snake would watch as more prisoners were loaded into the bed with each stop. Eventually, the convoy turned off the main road, following a dirt path that became narrower as it traveled into the mountains. The sound of thunder cracked overhead as the clouds opened up, rain beginning to soak the ground.

Snake felt his weight shift as the truck came to an abrupt stop. Though he could not see what lay before, the sound of grinding gears and the creak of metal echoed through the canyon. When the truck pressed forward again, the rain disappeared, its rhythmic noise beginning to grow distant. Snakes first observation was that the muddy path had now become smooth concrete.

Remaining motionless when the truck came to a stop, the stowaway waited for the soldiers and their prisoners to disembark before moving. After crawling out from underneath the truck, and finding a hiding place behind a pair of crates a short distance from it, Snake began to take in his new surroundings.

The convoy had entered a cave system, though it appeared to have been man made. The tunnel the truck had followed was carved into a half circle, lights placed every couple of feet lit it up dimly. The room the vehicles had stopped in was much larger, better lit. Boxes and pieces of equipment littered the ground here and there. Opposite where he had found cover, was the only door in the room. The soldiers had led the prisoners through it moments before Snake had crawled out.

With the coast clear, Snake put a finger to his radio.

"Devil Dog, this is 'Boss'. How copy?"

Static was the only response he received.

"Devil Dog, this is 'Boss'. How copy?!"

No response came as Snake considered his options.

Unholstering his AM D114, Snake checked over the weapon in the usual fashion. As always, it was well maintained, though mud had darkened its silver body from the trip. Using his finger, Snake ensured no mud had clogged any of the moving parts. Next, he pulled a silencer from his belt, slowly twisting it on the barrel of his weapon.

The door was not locked, swinging open easily. The hallway that stretched out before him was dark and dimly lit; the hollow whistle of wind only added to its foreboding appearance. Holding his weapon to his chest, Snake slowly stepped into the dark; the weight of the door closing it behind him. He could feel his ears burning with anticipation, the wind and his steps being the only sound available.

At the end of the hallway was another door. Pushing through it, Snake came upon a sight he could not have expected. The room was large and just as dim as the hallway. The floor was predominately empty, except for a few tables and crates scattered about. The walls… were not really walls. Snake looked around, surrounded by steel doors tall enough to reach the ceiling. Each one was identical to the other and contained a rectangular hole in the front. Watching his back, Snake stepped towards the nearest one and peered inside. His eye flinched at what it saw, but he could not look away.

Inside, the cell was a concrete box, large enough to hold only one person. There was no light, and Snake's pupil grew larger as a figure came into view. He was naked, completely. His skin was void of color and frail, large lacerations marking most of his body. He was still alive though, his chest moving with each breath. His chest… it was covered in small puss filled bubbles. Snake's breath grew heavy, recognizing the early signs of the Vocal Cord parasite. The man was in a standing position, his arms above his head and metal chains tethering him to the ceiling. The stench of his feces collecting on the floor forced Snake to finally look away.

Looking around, he was finally met with the realization… behind each of the doors surrounding the room was a prisoner, alive, but no longer amongst the living. It was then that Snake felt a burning anger inside him, the fingers of his real hand gripping his weapon even tighter. After two years the Vocal Cord parasite was still a threat, and in someone else's hands.

The sound of footsteps reminded Snake that he was still in dangerous territory. Quickly taking cover in the shadows, he watched as a door swung open in the corner of the room. The first figure to appear was a Soviet soldier, who turned and spoke a few words in Russian. The second to stumble through the door was a prisoner. The figure wore a straight jacket, his arms crossing in front of his chest. A bag had been pulled over the prisoners head, preventing Snake from seeing his face. Though the figure wore pants, shoes were not present, giving Snake the only view of the prisoners pale, cracked skin. Three more guards appeared from the doorway following suit. The group had made it halfway through the room before the prisoner collapsed. Unamused the guards started shouting in Russian, one kicking the prisoner in the stomach. The only audible noise was a muffled grunt. Snake watched as one of the soldiers grabbed the prisoner by the arm and lifted him to his feet. Another used the butt of his weapon to force him forward. Holding his breath, Snake watched as the group disappeared into the hallway he, himself, had first come from.

Snake let a minute pass before stepping from the shadows. The room was silent again as he slowly made his way towards the door the soldiers had emerged from. It was much heavier than the last, with rusty hinges that pierced the still air. Snake held his breath as the sound echoed through the halls, but the stillness remained undisturbed.

The hallway was better lit than the other and was not a singular passage, splitting into two after a short distance. Readying his weapon, Snake crept down the passage, his shadow casting ghostly figures against walls.

A scream brought Snake to his knee, raising his weapon to his eye. The cry only echoed for a second, but its sound still rang in his ear. It was not a cry for help, nor fear… the tune of it was of pure agony, raw pain. His finger twitching on the trigger, Snake rose to his feet and pressed on.

The scream had come from the hallway to his right, though silence had returned to the air. Checking to his left, Snake looked down the opposite hallway. It was the same, silent and motionless. Suddenly, the high-pitched rattle of a buzzsaw broke the stillness, bringing his attention back to the other passageway. The distant noise sounded like a snarl as became muffled, the blade pushed into something rubbery. Without thinking, Snake felt his feet begin to carry him forward, taking him closer to the noise.

The room was much better lit than everywhere else, though smaller than the first. It was unorganized, medical and surgical equipment scattered about. Along one wall was a row of gurneys, bodies strapped to them. They had been mutilated, their chest cavities torn open. In the center of the room, two men stood over a similar figure. Blood drained from a laceration stretching across his chest. The blood splattered buzzsaw lay on a table next to them.

Taking cover behind a curtain when entering the room, Snake watched the men as they worked. Both had their backs to him, but Shotmaker's mohawk was recognizable. The two spoke short sentences in Russian before the man next to Shotmaker pushed his hands into the dead man's chest cavity. The sound of cracking bones filled the room as the man slowly pulled the body open. Shotmaker crossed his arms, watching the other work.

Snake continued to watch in silence, tightening his grip on his weapon. The two men worked quickly, exchanging few words. After opening the body, the man next to Shotmaker began the grizzly operation. Though his vision was obscured by their backs, Snake could see the man reaching into the cavity well-enough. Using a knife, organs began to be removed, tossed aside with little care. Snake raised his eyebrow in confusion. What were they searching for?

The operation only lasted a few minutes before the man paused, speaking Russian to Shotmaker. Relaxing his arms, the commander leaned over the mutilated corpse, looking into its chest. The words he said after had the resonance of excitement, though Snake could not focus on them; the cock of a weapon's hammer clicking behind him, close to his head…

"Ah… the legendary 'Big Boss'." A smile began to form across Shotmakers face. "I knew it was only a matter of time."


	4. Death Shows no Mercy

**Content Warning -** This chapter contains sensitive material some readers may find disturbing. Read at your own risk.

(This is a rated M fiction for a reason)

* * *

 **Northern Kabul, Afghanistan  
** **Unknown  
** **1200 Hours**

 **1984**

It had been ten days… ten days since she spoke, ten days since she left him, ten days of depressing loneliness, and ten days of increasingly agonizing pain.

The sun was highest in the sky when Quiet awoke from her sleep. The ground was uncomfortable, but the sand was warm and soft. Lifting herself to a sitting position, Quiet leaned against the trunk of the tree she had stopped at the previous evening. The bark was rough against her back, but she did not mind; grateful for the shade the tree provided.

She winced in pain when she felt her chest begin to tighten, burning like a hot ember within.

The attack lasted for a minute before Quiet could compose herself again. The pain in her chest was becoming more frequent, and lasting longer as the days went on. How long until it killed her though… she did not know. Even after ten days, Quiet displayed no symptoms. Her "skin" was a light tan color, and appeared as healthy as ever. The growths that formed on infected patient's chests, had not yet sprouted on her. She did not have an answer, and had no hope in receiving one. Ten days and ten nights had now passed, and she was just waiting for the eternal sleep.

She had considered killing herself a few times, though she could never bring herself to do it. Perhaps it was still a desire for revenge, though she knew that was not what kept her from blowing her brains out. More likely, it was blind hope that one day she would get to see him again. Blind hope that… maybe they could start over, and she could redeem herself. Yes… this is what stayed her hand, despite her condition. But it was a fools aspiration, and Quiet knew that to be true.

Her chest clenched with pain again, forcing her to throw her head back against the hard wood. She could feel her bottom lip begin to quiver as tears began streaming down her cheeks. When the pain finally subsided, she continued to cry, her eyes becoming bloodshot.

A faint moan escaped Quiet's lips as she slumped to her side, laying on the warm sand. Weak and weary, she closed her eyes again. Sleep was the only way to take away the pain. Often times, she would dream of the 'Boss'… how he would find her and take her away. She knew it would never happen, but the idea was something for her to hold on to.

(-)

A small cave provided just enough cover from the sandstorm that raged outside. Quiet sat in silence, listening to the wind and sand that mimicked the sound of static noise. Her mind wondered between subjects, though it always ended on the same question.

 _When am I going to die?_

It had now been five weeks since she left him, and her condition only continued to worsen. Her skin no longer glowed with color, but had turned a sickly grey. Her whole body felt dry, and cracks had formed on her pale skin. The pain in her chest never let up, making it difficult to stand on occasions. Her eyes were swollen and red, and though she had no more tears to cry, her cheeks had become stained with them. Just by looking at her, one could have already believed she was dead.

Quiet turned her attention to the sandstorm that wreathed the outside world. Memories of guilt began cloud her mind. Why did she run away? Why did she not undergo the Wolbachia treatment? Why did she put the man she loved…

 _Love!?_

Dazed and confused, Quiet sat and thought about the words that had just crossed her mind. Despite everything they had been through, everything she had done… she had fallen for him. She lowered her eyes to rocky ground; if only she had any tears left.

(-)

The Aabe Shifap Ruins seemed a decent enough place to set up camp, if a little ironic. Five months had now passed since she last saw him, and Quiet did not know how much longer she could go on. The cracks on her skin became deeper and began opening, leaking blood onto her pale body. The pain in her chest no longer bothered her, though it prevented her from doing much activity. Not that it mattered, spending her days laying out in the sun; taking in what nutrients her body would allow before the dead of night set in. Perhaps this is what drew her back to the ruins.

Aabe Shifap was a paradise amongst the bleak Afghan wilderness. The ruins provided enough cover so that she would not be seen by prying eyes, and the natural springs offered a source of hydration in the dry heat. Despite all this, Quiet found it ironic that the place Snake had shown her mercy, would also be the place of her death.

* * *

 **Chapter IV** _  
_ _Death Shows no Mercy_

* * *

The sun was beginning to disappear behind the mountain tops when Quiet woke from her nap. Despite the uncomfortable tightness in her body, she could feel the energy in her muscles; having spent a majority of the day laying out in the sun. The sand and dry heat, though, had left her feeling dry. Rolling onto her side, she pushed herself up from the ground. A makeshift crutch supported her as she limped her way to one of the springs.

The heat of the day had made the water warm, though it felt soothing on her blistered feet regardless. Quiet had gotten rid of her boots some months ago, when the cracks on her skin began opening. The pain from wearing them made it impossible to stand. She had also rid herself of her equipment harness, not that it caused her pain, but it was extra weight that she no longer needed.

Careful not to move too quickly, Quiet sat down in the stagnant water, setting her crutch to the side. A sense of relief washed over her as the water began to hydrate her legs, soothing her rough skin. Cupping her hands together, Quiet took a scoop of water and poured it on her chest. A sigh of relief escape her lips as the warm water ran down her pale body. Dipping her hands again, she repeated the action. The sun was now completely behind the mountains.

Quiet sat alone in the dark silence, the water beginning to cool her skin as the temperature dropped. It was getting late, and she needed…

A firm hand grabbed her shoulder, causing her to release a short scream. She only managed a quick glance towards her attacker before a black sack was pulled over her head, shrouding her senses in darkness. Mustering what little energy she could, Quiet attempted to free herself but a solid object cracked itself against her face, sending her into unconsciousness.

* * *

When she regained consciousness, Quiet found herself in a wooden shed. She was tied to a chair in the center of the room, crates stacked against the walls around her. Where she was, she did not know.

Her whole body throbbed with pain, particularly her head. She could feel the large bruise that had formed on her cheek after being hit, though she was unsure as to when that occurred or how long she had been out. The burning sting in her chest returned, stronger than before. Unable to move from her position, Quiets only choice was to ride it out; grunting softly and gritting her teeth. When the wave passed, she opened her eyes and looked towards the floor. Drops of blood had stained the wood around her. She let out a whimper at the sight of her own body. Her skin was pale and gray, but stained red with the blood that had leaked from the cracks that scarred her.

Resting her head back, Quiet closed her eyes and for the first time in months… prayed for death.

Sitting alone, she had no sense of time. Had it been hours, days, weeks? Occasionally, she could hear voices just beyond the walls. The words were faint and distant, but sounded Russian. She had to wonder, though, if they knew she carried the English strain.

Over time, she could sense her body growing weaker. The room she was in only allowed for the faintest cracks of light to enter, and she received no water. Even the act of breathing became more difficult as her skin became dry and brittle. The feeling of suffocation was something Quiet hated passionately, causing her to panic when she could do little to relieve it. It reminded her of Cyprus, the night her human life was taken away. The fire that destroyed her body was agonizing of course, but she would never be able to describe the anguish she felt as her organs shut down one by one, draining her of life.

* * *

She was asleep when he came in, though the creak of the hinges woke her easily. Blinking to regain focus, Quiet gazed at the Soviet soldier who had just entered the room. He was concealed by shadows, with only the dim light of the moon behind him. Quiet, however, did not need to see is face to deduce the state of drunkenness he was in; the stench of alcohol filled the room quickly. She watched the man intently as he stumbled across the room, stopping a short distance from her to speak a few words in Russian. Her heart begin to sink as the man began fumbling with his belt buckle, realizing his drunken intentions.

She wanted to protest, but made no noise as the soldier walked behind her, cutting the ropes that bound her wrists. Freedom, though, was not obtainable. Her body was weak and drained of energy, making it easy for the drunken soldier to lift her from the chair and lay her chest first across one of the crates in the room. The man's hands were rough and clumsy as he pulled her leggings and underwear down to her ankles. Never before had she felt so exposed, despite her usual attire.

Quiet's already bloodshot eyes began to swell with tears as the soldier forced his way inside her. Truth be told, this was not how she expected it to happen, having never been sexually active in her other life; duty coming before anything else. Hell, it wasn't until after her accident, and special condition, that she began showing so much skin. Snake had changed everything though. What had started out as hatred, became respect, then friendship, then… love; but did he feel the same? She had tried so hard to get his attention on those long flights in the ACC, though he always seemed so distant and deep in thought. The closest she had ever gotten to him was when they were alone in the rain. She remembered him holding her for a brief second, before breaking away. Or was it she that broke away, a small flame of vengeance still fueling her actions? What did it matter anyway? Quiet was never going to see him again, and here she was losing everything to a drunk who wanted an easy fuck.

Her attacker was not gentle, and the rough movements caused the cracks on her body to bleed, only adding to the pain she felt. Each thrust inside forced a moan out of her, though it was not out of pleasure. Quiet's cheeks were now wet with her tears as she accepted what she had been reduced to, her weak body unable to fight back.

The soldier only lasted for a few minutes before his thrusts became irregular, grunting as he climaxed. Quiet shut her eyes tightly as she felt him spill into her. When he finally pulled out, she could not hold the weight of her own body and fell to the floor. The soldier made no effort to acknowledge her and drunkenly stumbled towards the door, leaving the poor girl in a puddle of her own blood and other bodily fluids.

She cried for hours…

* * *

The sun on her skin was a blessing enough to be happy about. It was the first time she had been brought out since being held captive, the warm rays of light providing nutrients she had been denied for days. Of course it did little to improve her dismal situation.

Looking around, Quiet took in her surroundings. The sand-covered hills towered around the outpost, split by a dirt road that ran through the middle. The camp itself was made up of a collection of cabins and wooden barrack, as well as similar shacks identical to the one she had been held in. She was standing amongst a group of other prisoners, all formed in a line. Their captors walked around the camp, speaking Russian to each other while keeping watchful eyes on their prisoners. The men on either side of Quiet appeared just as weak and broken as she. They did not physically appear as broken as she did, considering her "condition", but the lifeless gaze in their eyes told her they had not seen the light of day for some time.

The group stood still in the sun for what seemed like hours, the soldiers interacting little with them. Eventually a pair of vehicles rounded the stone hills, glistening in the sun. Sand and dust kicked up behind them as they sped down the road, coming to an abrupt halt near the center of the camp.

The group of captives watched as additional soldiers disembarked from the vehicles. One man was different though, catching Quiets attention. His attire was similar to the others, but his mohawk set him apart. He spoke to no one as he exited the vehicle, focusing his attention on the prisoners as he made his way towards them.

Quiet's eyes remained fixated on the man as the distance between them decreased. He stopped just short of the group, analyzing the lifeless faces before him until his gaze met Quiet's. He no longer inspected the others, but instead moved so that he was directly in front of her. He never took his eyes from her's as a smile began to cross his face.

The man with the mohawk turned and barked a few orders in Russian towards his men before bringing his attention back to Quiet.

"It's nice to finally meet you… Annabelle. My employers will be happy to know your still alive…"

"For now."


	5. Demon Tyur'my

Snake had been so focused on the experiment in the center of the room that he did not notice the Soviet soldier approach him from behind, realizing his mistake when the click of a weapon's hammer sounded close to his head. Slowing turning his head, he looked down the barrel of the gun aiming towards him before looking up at the soldier standing over him. He could recognize the fear in the man's wavering eyes; perhaps he was unsure as to how to proceed. The soldier did not hesitate, however, motioning Snake out of his cover with a slight wave of his weapon. Frustratingly, Snake complied, quickly considering his rapidly declining options.

Shotmaker and the doctor that stood next to him turned when the sound of movement grabbed their attention. A smile began to form across the mohawked man's face, devious and sharp. His deep voice broke the silence.

"Ah… the legendary 'Big Boss'." His English was well spoken, though heavily accented. "I knew it was only a matter of time."

Snake responded with a grunt, careful not to begin interacting with his enemy. Recognizing he would not receive an answer, Shotmaker walked within arms reach of Snake, holding out his hand.

"That's okay, I'm not looking for a conversation. Can I at least shake your hand?"

Snake remand silent, looking down to the open hand reached out towards him. He gripped the pistol in his right-hand tighter, though it was quickly taken by the soldier standing behind him.

"It's not every day you get to meet a legend?" The tone in Shotmaker's voice almost sounded mocking.

Snake knew he would have to play along, at least for now. Slowly he lifted his now free hand towards his enemy. Shotmaker raised an eyebrow as he waited, the moment seeming to last forever. Everything in his body told him not to go through with it, though Snake was already committed, his hand making contact with the palm of the other.

A smile crossed Shotmaker's face as the two men's hands clasped together, each fighting for dominance and the firmest grip. Snake maintained his stone composure, not removing his eye from the man in front of him.

Their hands never physically shook, but remained connected, hovering motionless between the two as they analyzed each other; waiting to see who would make the first move. Snake's vision suddenly became blurry, accompanied with a light stinging sensation in his neck; similar to that of a bee sting. Shotmaker released his opponents hand as he began stumbling backward, reaching for anything that could be used as support.

Snake blinked rapidly, attempting to clear the fog that was clouding his vision. Despite his physical prowess, his strength began to weaken, causing him to collapse to the floor. As he began slipping out of consciousness, Shotmaker stood over him, the corners of his mouth beginning to curl upwards.

"Welcome to hell, 'Big Boss'. You can call me… the warden."

* * *

 **Chapter V  
** _Demon Tyur'my_

* * *

The air was heavy with moisture when Snake awoke. He felt groggy and his eyelid was heavy. The room was dark, with only a dim light leaking through the doorway. He recognized the room instantly, the stone walls closing in around him. This space was designed to induce claustrophobia.

Snake tried to move, though his muscles would not respond. Looking around, he noticed he had been stripped of his sneaking suit. His right arm was chained to the ceiling, while his left hang by his side; the prosthesis removed. Though the darkness prevented him from seeing, he could feel the sting of fresh bruises spotted across his body. A dry, metallic taste of blood was present on his lips. How long had he been out, he thought to himself.

The sound of his own breathing was the only noise that echoed in the tight space. Outside the cell, everything was silent… the type of dreaded stillness that can chill someone to the bone. Even the slightest disturbance rang loudly throughout the halls.

Snake could feel a drop of warm sweat streaming slowly down his face, its salty taste mixing with the blood on his lips.

He began gritting his teeth when a sharp pain entered his arm... his left arm. The phantom pain reminded Snake he was a broken man, reduced to a ghost of his former glory.

"Is this where you imagined our life ending up."

The voice startled Snake, resonating from behind him. Upon turning his head, however, his eye only rested on a damp, stone wall. Blinking in disbelief, he wondered if it had been imagined… but he could not shake the feeling that someone was here with him.

The air remained still and silent; undisturbed.

* * *

The water was ice cold, forcing Snake into a conscious state of mind as it splashed against his face. He coughed violently, forcing water out of his lungs as he regained his breath. His vision was still blurry, but it was immediately apparent he was no longer in the stone cell.

Snake sat in a chair, though no restraints held him down. He was still naked and his prosthesis remained absent. A bright, white light pointed directly towards him, only blinding his vision further.

"Can we have that conversation now?"

Snake recognized the voice as Shotmaker's, though the blinding light prevented him from setting eye on him. The spotlight, however, was quickly turned off; replaced with dimmer lights around the room. As his vision adjusted, Snake studied his new surroundings. The room was considerably larger than the cells, though the walls still remained stone. The space was empty aside from several metal carts, holding what appeared to be surgical equipment. A guard stood by the door, leaving hastily when he received command from his officer. The metal door was heavy, causing a deafening metallic screech as it closed shut.

Snake looked towards Shotmaker, the man he was now left alone with. The Russian had his back to him, filling a syringe with a liquid from an unmarked bottle.

Snake could sense the anticipation in the air. He was not afraid of this man, but intrigued in what he might have in store for him.

"So.. can we have that conversation now?"

Shotmaker turned towards Snake, holding the syringe at eye level to his face.

"Depends." Snake kept his response short, his voice harsh and gravely.

Snake never removed his eye from his opponent, watching him as he moved closer; kneeling so that he was eye-level with Snake. The lights in the room bounced off the silver sheen of the needle, causing it to glint as it grew close.

"Why are you here?" Shotmaker's voice hissed quietly, furrowing his brow as he stared down Snake.

Snake remained silent, raising his chin to the man, waiting to see what he would do next. Shotmaker's eyes shifted towards the needle as he stood, hovering over Snake.

"Please don't make me use this. It's very… unpleasant."

Shotmaker circled around the chair, stopping when he was behind it. Snake felt a hand rest on his shoulder but continued to look towards the front, avoiding giving his enemy any satisfaction of dominance.

"Now, tell me… why are you here?" Snake could feel Shotmaker's breath on his neck.

"You're the one they call Shotmaker, right?" Snake spoke up after a moment of silence.

"That's one of my names, yes." Shotmaker began circling back around Snake. "In my country, I am _Demon Tyur'my._ To these people, I am _Demoon van die Gevangens."_

Snake's eye rested on Shotmaker again when he was in front of him. He continued…

"Language is an amazing thing… isn't it. So many dialects and tongues. A simple name can be translated differently for every language."

"Your beginning to sound like Skull Face." Snake interjected, his comment stopping Shotmaker from circling around him again. He laughed to himself, turning towards Snake with a crooked smile across his face.

"Skull Face was a self-centered madman, hell-bent on revenge. His hatred for the English language consumed him, destroyed him. He didn't understand that… you can't just rid the world of a single dialect; the very fabric of humanity… language, would have crumbled and turned to ash. That is why Cipher… the original Cipher, stopped the Vocal Cord experiments."

Snake could see the fire burning in Shotmaker's eyes as he spoke, it was at that moment he realized this man was no ordinary Soviet commander.

"Who are you?" Snake instinctively questioned.

The smile on Shotmaker's face turned to rage at the question. Without hesitation he clenched his left fist and swung it around, catching Snake in the jaw and launching him from his seated position. Snake landed hard on the stump of his bad arm, crying out in pain.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE!" Shotmaker's voice cracked as he looked towards the man trying to subdue the pain in his arm.

"Trying… to find… you." Snake hissed as he grasped his arm, putting pressure on the throbbing pain.

"That's fucking rich!" Shotmaker knelt down towards Snake, laughing to himself. "The Soviets actually put a price on my head… and contracted a group of mercenaries! They must be getting desperate!"

"The Soviets? No…" Snake looked towards Shotmaker, meeting his eyes.

"The Rebels? Is that what they told you." Shotmaker stood back up, unable to contain his laughter that now echoed in the room. "That's fucking priceless!"

The air suddenly went quiet again, Shotmaker regaining his composure. The grin on his face was no longer present when he looked towards Snake.

"You, my friend… have no idea how deep this rabbit hole goes."

The last thing Snake saw was Shotmaker's boot lifting off the ground, and coming quickly in his direction. He was out cold before his body could register the contact.

* * *

Snake awoke again in the stone cell.

His body writhed with pain, though he could do little to treat it. The kick he had taken to the face forced a noise bleed, and he would not be surprised if it had also broken the nose.

This time, the air was not silent. His labored breathing and the patter of blood hitting the ground disturbed the stillness in an unsynchronized rhythm.

"Sure is one hell of a way to carry on his legacy."

The voice did not startle Snake this time. Looking up, he could see the figure standing before him, though his vision was unfocused. He could make out a few details, realizing this man was not Shotmaker or any of the Soviets. His left arm was missing and shrapnel protruded from his forehead, though his facial features did not resemble Snake's.

"I've seen you before." Snake's voice was weak and quiet, lowering his head back to the ground. "You're just… a hallucination, a figment of my imagination brought on by my head trauma."

The man cocked his head, looking at Snake, trying to meet his eye.

"A hallucination… maybe. Your imagination… not at all. You see, you and I are a lot alike… and in more ways than one. You just don't remember yet."

"What do you want from me." Snake finally brought his eye back up, but the figure was no longer standing in front of him. He had just vanished.

"To remember… who your are." The voice was ghostly and resonated from the walls. It came from nowhere, and yet, everywhere.

"I'm... Big Boss..." Snake lowered his head again, passing back out.

* * *

"So yesterday… I think we got off on the wrong start, and I wanted to apologize for that."

Shotmaker sat in a chair, across from Snake, as he spoke. The two were in the same room, though this time accompanied by several guards.

"Lets recap… you were sent here to kill me, by the Soviets, who disguised themselves as the Rebels; I still find that hilarious by the way. Now, naturally I should ask why they - the Soviets - would want me dead. But I already know… the question is, how much do you know?"

Shotmaker leaned in, supporting his chin with the thumb of his hand. Snake did not meet his gaze, keeping his eye to the ground.

"You're just another job. The Mujahideen wanted a Soviet commander dead." Snake answered disgruntledly.

Shotmaker nodded his head, accepting Snake's response as truth.

"I haven't been in command for a long time, not since I defected from the Soviets. Let me tell you a story…"

Snake looked up, meeting Shotmaker's eyes as he leaned back in his chair.

"Growing up in Russia, I had always been fascinated with American culture. As you can probably guess, I was never able to express it; the Soviets and the United States were engaged in a Cold War after all. Eventually though, I managed to get away from Russia to study in America. There, I learned your language, your culture and customs, and your politics. It was also there that I met a man by the name of David Oh, and… Skull Face. I respected David greatly, and it pained me to learn that Skull Face stabbed him in the back to take control of Cipher. Had the Soviets not invited Afghanistan, and me returning to serve, I might have gone after Skull Face myself, but he vanished… until two years ago."

"How is any of this relevant to the Soviets wanting you dead." Snake's breathing was labored, but the conversation distracted him from the ache his body felt.

"Because after Skull Face resurfaced, I went after him, leaving my command. You just got to him first. Of course, it is more likely they want me dead because of my connections with America."

"What connections?"

Shotmaker leaned in again, his face coming close to Snake's.

"The vocal cord parasite rightfully belongs to David, so I'm returning it to him."

Snake's eye opened wide, the thought of the Vocal Cord parasite surfacing in the States pumped adrenaline into his body, forcing him out of his chair; standing over Shotmaker. He was so focused he did not notice the weapons that had been pointed in his direction from the sudden movement. Shotmaker remained seated, raising his hand to calm the guards.

"A few days ago, when you first came here, that is what you saw." Shotmaker looked up at Snake, who's eye was twitching with a fire he was unable to release. "In order to harvest the parasite from the host, their bodies must be cut open and the parasite surgically removed. Unfortunately, the host must still be alive before the procedure. It's a bloody mess as you might imagine... would you please sit down, you're making my men uncomfortable."

Snake looked around the room, staring down the barrels trained on him. He noticed the guards eyes as they bounced between each other, their fingers twitching in anticipation to who might fire the first shot. Grunting, he returned to his seat.

"What does Zero want with the vocal cord parasite?" Snake's attention returned to Shotmaker.

"Can't say." Shotmaker leaned back in his chair, crossing his leg over his knee. "I haven't spoken to him in years. Everything we do now is through a contact back in the States."

"Cipher." Snake let the name hiss through his teeth.

"Cipher is no more. You destroyed them, remember."

"But the ideology lives on… as long as Zero is still alive."

"True."

Snake and Shotmaker stared at each other in silence, each considering their next move.

"Why did you tell me all this?" Snake spoke up first.

"Because I'm not hiding… like Skull Face… like your organization. I am proud of the work we're doing here. Sure, people are dying, but we are ridding the world of Skull Face's legacy; the parasite."

Snake kept his eye on the man across from him, maintaining a stone face.

"Truth be told… I thought you came here for her." Shotmaker seemed to relax, shifting his gaze away from Snake.

"Who?" Snake questioned, unaware that any of his men were missing.

"Annabelle."

Snake raised an eyebrow at the name, it was unfamiliar to him. Shotmaker caught his confusion and turned back towards him.

"Oh… what was the Russian term." Shotmaker brought his eyes to the ground as he thought, snapping his finger and thumb when the name came to him.

" _Tixij."_

A wave of nausea came over Snake as he slumped back into his chair. His head was dizzy and began to throb with an intense pain. His vision lost focus and turned hazy, causing him to blink rapidly, though it did not help. Suddenly, within an instant, a different force took over his body. It was as if certain repressed memories had finally pushed their way back into his consciousness, transforming the confusion into a rage Snake did not even know he possessed. With all disregard to the armed guards, he jumped from his chair.

"WHERE IS SHE!"

A deafening crack broke the air. The door exploded inwards, sending fragments of rock and dust in all directions. The two closest guards were caught in the explosion, thrown violently to the ground. Snake, stunned just the same as everyone else, watched the confusion play out as if it was in slow-motion; noticing every detail.

The first to emerge from the smoke was Ocelot. Snake watched as he entered the room with such elegance, almost gliding through the door. His two signature revolvers spun on his fingers as he raised them with outstretched arms. Without setting eyes on his targets, his hands reached their apex, catching each revolver after a final spin. The Soviet soldiers had no time to react as two shots fired simultaneously, sending two limp bodies to the ground. He twirled his weapons again as he brought his aim to the front, dropping two more soldiers just as fast as the others.

The dust had not yet cleared when Snake's sense of time returned to him. Six dead Soviets lay on the ground, their spots having been replaced by Diamond Dog soldiers. Ocelot stood over Shotmaker, who remained seated with a revolver flush against his head. Ocelot cocked his head and smiled.

"Shotmaker… say hi to Stalin for me." His finger beginning to apply pressure on the trigger.

"Don't"

The two men looked towards Snake, stunned expressions across their face. Snake's eye darted between the two, waiting to see who would speak up first.

"Boss?" Ocelots question was no surprise to Snake, he had heard it many times before from Miller.

Snake remained quiet for a moment, catching his breath.

"We take him alive." The tone in his voice was no longer weak and labored, but deep and commanding.

"The contract is to take him out." Ocelot questioned again, pressing his revolver closer to Shotmaker's head.

With fire in his eye, Snake looked towards his enemy. Raising his chin to him, he took a deep breath.

"The contract has changed."

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **1730**

Snake sat in the infirmary on the medical platform, a doctor poking and prodding him with needles and other equipment he did not care to look at. These check-ups generally did not bother Snake, though his skin was as tough as leather causing the doctor to be less gentle than he would with most other patients. Miller and Ocelot stood close by, watching their Boss get his wounds checked on.

"How'd you find me?" Snake finally spoke to them.

"Devil Dog managed to track you into the cave system, though we lost contact when you went under." Miller shifted his weight on his cane. "After we didn't hear from you for about a day, we decided to organize a search and rescue."

"What about the others?" Snake looked towards the doctor when the prick of a needle surprised him. He did not stop his work though.

"The other prisoners?" Ocelot chimed in, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Unfortunately, it would seem your report is correct; they all appear to be infected with the vocal cord parasite."

"Which strain?" Snake looked back to the two men.

"Code Talker has identified all of them... all of them except English."

"The English strain is extinct." Miller snapped his head towards Ocelot, patronizing the cowboy. "It died off with that Cipher bitch."

Snake could sense the spike in his blood pressure, clenching his fist at what Miller had stated. Had Ocelot not continued the conversation, he may have spoke up.

"Regardless of that fact, we moved the infected to the quarantine platform, though… I don't think there is much we can do for them at this point."

"Maybe, maybe not... Code Talker has taken a particular interest in them." Miller looked back towards Snake. "I think he may be looking into an actual cure."

"Keep me posted on what he finds." Snake spoke, having released the tension from earlier. "I'd be very much interested to know if he comes up with anything."

"I'm all done here." The doctor spoke up as he stepped away from Snake.

Heaving himself off the table, Snake grabbed his jacket and began limping towards the door.

"Your in no condition to go back out into the field." Miller's cane tapped on the ground as he turned towards Snake.

Snake kept his back to the two men as he lowered his head, closing his eye. He remained silent for a moment.

He continued without saying a word, leaving Miller and Ocelot to themselves.


	6. The Calm Before the Storm

**B.T.S. -** This chapter is broken up into several sections (I'm telling you now to end any confusion). Present time, 12 hours ago, and two years ago. I hope I have made each section break understandable enough. If there is any confusion, please let me know.

* * *

Mother Base had always been its own independent organization, governed by a small few who acted of their own free will. While this remained true, as the years passed it had become much more comparable to a city-state; its own nation. Mother Base was an interconnected web of everything that built a country. It had government, industry, agriculture, innovation, and a population large enough to sustain itself within the world's economy. But this was also its fatal flaw. Mother Base operated within the war economy, something that many countries looked down upon; though most did nothing about it because this was the nature of the war economy: governments hated the idea of independent military organizations, yet asked for them when times got tough.

Much of these developments had become possible through the addition of the Refugee Platform. Civilian housing provided the labor force that distinguished Diamond Dogs from other PF operations, who operated simply as mercenary groups. As families and refugees began to move in, inroads to a diversified economy were opened. Jobs became available, many that Diamond Dogs did not previously have; such as scientists, engineers, doctors, teachers, and many more that built up the labor force. Despite all this, Mothers Base remained a predominant military force. Diamond Dog forces oversaw and supervised all of the comings and goings of Mother Base… to the refugees, they lived within a military state.

Unlike the average PF organization, Diamond Dogs had become a military dictatorship; and the world was beginning to notice…

* * *

 **Chapter VI**  
 _The Calm Before the Storm_

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **0730 Hours**

The tents that lined the Refugee Platform fluttered in the wind that broke over the Seychelles, swaying together in a synchronized dance. The breeze was cool and carried the ocean mist through the air, dropping the temperature to a brisk 22 degree Celsius. Though the sun was rising over the horizon, only thin rays of light penetrated the grey clouds that engulfed the sky. A dark wall of rain could been seen out on the horizon, foreshadowing the monsoon that would eventually devour Mother Base.

Kyle stood on the edge of the platform, watching the thrashing of the waves in the distance. He was a young man of dark complexion, with wavy blond hair that he kept combed back. The storm reflected as clear pictures in his dark brown eyes as he stared out into the distance.

Kyle was a refugee, having brought his wife and daughter from South Africa months ago. They did not intend to stay on Mother Base for so long, but the Diamond Dogs had been kind to them; offering shelter, food, and work.

He had been assigned to the Base Development Unit by a man with one arm and leg, who Kyle believed to be the commander, though he could not remember his name. He had heard rumors that there was a man with more authority and prowess on board Mother Base, but he had never managed to set eyes on this phantom. Truth be told, Kyle had only even met the one armed and legged man on two occasions, the day he and his family came to Mother Base and the day he was assigned his job. Beyond that, he had only gotten glimpses of him in passing.

Part of the reason Kyle decided to remain on Mother Base was because he enjoyed his job. Living in South Africa, he was an experienced architect who built great prestige for himself. It was unfortunate that his success spiraled into a life of alcohol, drugs, gambling, and mistresses; and resulted in a graphical design mistake that ended several lives. But that was a life he left behind when he packed up his family and fled the country, running away from the mounting lawsuits against him. The Base Development Unit was enjoyable enough, and made use of many of the skills he had sharpened over the years. Kyle had even been honored with a level of authority within the unit, being the only architect on staff. Despite this promotion, improved accommodations were not included. He did not mind though; as long as his family had shelter, he was content.

A heavy gust of wind breached the platform, causing Kyle to stumble backward as he lost his footing. The clouds darkened in the sky, reminding him of the approaching storm. The air was heavy with salt; he could taste it on his lips and feel it against his skin.

"Hey... Schneider!"

Kyle turned at the sound of his name being called. The source was a member of the Base Development Unit, standing a distance down the platform.

"Storms coming in, we need to make sure everything is locked down!" He called out again.

"Yah, I'm coming!" Kyle replied, watching the man nod his head and dash off.

Turning back towards the storm, Kyle studied the approaching monsoon for a moment more before taking off.

(-)

Snake found himself growing restless, the storm having grounded all air traffic in and out of Mother Base. Waiting for Ocelot had already begun to feel like an eternity, he didn't even notice his finger tapping rapidly against the desk. He could tell D-Dog was was beginning to feel the same, watching him as he paced around Snake's quarters. Every few minutes, a crack of thunder would rattle the walls, causing the animal to stand rigid and shoot his head up, periscoping around the room.

Snake shifted in his chair, resting against the back of it and closing his eyes. The sound of the outside rain began to relax his mind; the rhythmic patter was soothing to him. It was not long until he was rocked to sleep.

(-)

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters**

 **12 Hours Earlier**

Despite being over 100 years of age, the Old Dine was far from feeble. The parasites that coexisted with his body gave him strength when it was required, and enhanced his senses to inhuman levels. They acted as his eyes and ears, giving him the ability to see and hear whatever he desired in much greater detail and range. While he would not admit ungratefulness to the gifts the parasites provided, he often times found himself growing weary of the constant voices in his head. Mother Base had grown, and so had the amount of people on board. The only place Code Talker could find solace was his lab. It was secluded and the think walls dimmed the constant attack of people talking. I didn't matter if he was doing research or not, his lab was the most desirable place to be on base.

The lab itself was similar to that of a chemistry classroom. A long table stretched across the center of the room, beakers of all shapes and sizes scattered across it. Occasionally, one could be found on top of a burner, bubbling over a low flame. Outlining the room was a row of cabinets and drawers with a countertop laid overtop. This space was a little bit more organized, but non-the-less, was home to more equipment, journals, and notes.

Code Talker was glad to call his lab, "home".

With great joy and enthusiasm, Code Talker had been working tirelessly in his lab for the past several hours. The Boss had just returned from a mission with something he had thought was all but destroyed: the Vocal Cord parasite. True, it was unfortunate that all the men brought back from the Black Site were doomed to die, the Vocal Cord parasite having already been activated within them, but Code Talker had not seen his creation in over two years; the chance to study them again was… exciting to him. The past two years had yielded incredible advances in research and science, though without an actual sample of the parasite, many of his theories had to be shelved.

The old man was in the process of flipping through a set of year old notes when he heard the footsteps. Code Talker could identify the owner as Snake, recognizing the weight of his steps from the rest. They increasingly grew louder as each step came closer to the door. The old man set his notebook down and turned his wheelchair towards the doorway, knowing that the Boss only came to this part of Mother Base when he wanted something. He kept his eyes on the door until it slid open with a hiss, Snake standing on the other side.

"You always know when I'm coming." Snake spoke softly as he stepped into the room.

"You walk with a distinguishable step." Code Talker spoke equally as soft, looking down Snake's form as he drew closer. "Though, this time, it appears to include a limp."

Snake cracked a small smile and responded with a grunt, now standing over the old man.

"You know what I like about you…" Code Talker changed the conversation, pointing a wrinkled finger in Snakes direction. "You're predictable. You never come through my door to make small talk, so do tell… what can an old man like myself do for you."

The smile on Snake's face was replaced with his usual indifference as he reached towards his cassette player. Pulling it off of his belt, he unplugged the headphone jack and set it on the table. He didn't look towards the old man has he pressed the play button. Code Talker shifted his eyes to the cassette player as sound began to crack through the speakers.

The first sound produced from the recording was that of static noise and ruffled movement, combined with the clap of a boots against a metal surface. Code Talker again recognized the steps as Snake's. The collection of sounds only lasted for a second, before turning to silence. Code Talker listened to the tapes faint static noise as he waited.

The audio cracked again with the hiss of a sliding door and a gust of wind hitting the microphone. Snake's boots could be heard once more, though this time each step was slower and carried more weight.

 _"I knew it was only a matter of time until you came through that door."_ Shotmaker's voice was just barely caught by the cassette tape, sounding distant and muddled by the rest of the audio.

Snake gave no immediate response over the recording, the echo of his boots replaced by silence. A low hum could be heard in the background, though Code Talker was unsure if it was the room or the wind passing by the microphone.

 _"Let's get one thing straight."_ Snake finally broke the silence, his deep voice resonating over the recording. _"Do. Not. Bullshit me."_

 _"That depends on what you want to know."_ Shotmaker's voice came through clearly. Code Talker suspected Snake was now standing near him. _"I already told the cowboy everything he wanted to hear."_

 _"You didn't tell him what I want to hear."_

 _"And what do you want to hear… Boss?"_

The cassette tape again emitted static noise as it recorded the silence before Snake's response. The old man took that second to glance at the man standing in front of him. Snake had not noticed the eyes on him and continued to keep his attention on the recording.

 _"Back in the Black Site, you seem to have believed my intrusion was because of a certain someone."_ Snake finally spoke up, louder than before and with more force behind his words.

 _"Ah… you mean the Sniper Quiet."_

" _You must be mistaken. How can you possibly know her, she sacrificed her life two years ago."_

 _"I know she was an agent of Cipher, I know what her mission was, and I know you two had grown… fond of each other. Unlike you, however, I know that she lived."_

Snake was silent, contemplating his next words.

 _"You know…"_ Shotmaker continued. _"I almost feel bad for her. She was such a beautiful butterfly, if a little broken when she finally arrived to me."_

 _"Let's assume for a second that I believed you."_ Snake took over the conversation. _"She was not amongst the prisoners we rescued from your base. What happened to her?"_

 _"She was transferred off site after I was done with her."_

 _"The evening I infiltrated the Black Site, I saw a prisoner being escorted out…"_

 _"Not many people get to leave once they have entered. If the sinking feeling in your gut is telling you, 'I just missed her'… it might just be right."_

An audible smack was heard in the recording. Code Talker suspected Shotmaker had just been clocked in the jaw. The sound of coughing and heavy breathing that followed suggested he was right.

 _"You son of a bitch!"_ The old man did not need to seen an expression to know that Snake was angry. _"Where is she!"_

Code Talker no longer wished to listen, reaching over and pressing the players stop button. Snake hummed in frustration as he returned it to his belt.

"You wouldn't have me listen to that if you didn't have something on your mind." Code Talker prodded Snakes intentions, shifting in his chair.

"Is it possible...?" Snake spoke softly, letting the question trail off.

Code Talker did not need the full question, having received enough context from the recording. The old man heaved a heavy sigh, turning his wheelchair away from Snake.

"Quiet had been… a special case. I regret having not had the chance to conduct my own research on her. As you might remember… that child carried two, different, types of parasites. The English strain of the Vocal Cord parasite, and the One That Covers. Skull Face would have had to modify them, so that they would not compete for dominance. Perhaps, this is why she only carried specific traits from each of them."

"You're telling me information I already know old timer." Snake turned his body in the direction Code Talker was facing, resting his hands against the table in front of them. "What I need to know… is if was possible she could have survived after activating the parasites."

"Patience, I'm getting to that." The old man looked towards Snake, who held his head down as he leaned against the table. "The parasite that gave Quiet life was a modded version of the One That Covers. It was designed to keep her alive, despite her lack of functioning organs. Now… I can't be for sure because I haven't tested this theory, but I believe… If it is true that she survived…"

Snake turned his head to Code Talker as he spoke, his ears twitching with anticipation.

"It is because the One That Covers is fighting the Vocal Cord Parasite… to keep her alive."

There was no chance for silence when Code Talker finished speaking, a loud bang echoing through the room as Snake hammered his fist against the table. The beakers and bottles rattled as stillness returned to the air. With a huff of frustration, Snake pushed himself off the table and made his way for the door.

"Wait, where are you going!" Code Talker turned his wheelchair in pursuit.

Snake did not turn as he continued, quickly crossing the room. As the door hissed open, he spoke to himself, though it was the answer to the old man's question…

"To bring her home."

(-)

Snake sat in the ACC as the African grasslands quickly passed outside the window. He paid little attention though as he remained focused on the holographic screen being produced by his iDroid, reviewing the mission debrief of the side op he and Quiet had just accomplished. It had been a translator snatch-an-grab, Kikongo from Millers report. He was thankful it had gone so well, the pair didn't even have to fire a shot.

Snake was so focused on the mission report that he did not notice the pair of eyes staring at him intently. It wasn't until he closed his iDroid that he saw Quiet. Their eyes only met for a second before she quickly shifted her gaze, behaving as if she was trying to avoid being caught looking in his direction.

Snake thought little of the action however. The two had only recently begun operating together and were still learning each other's personalities and how they behaved. Still… Snake couldn't help but feel that her quick movement was more than an innocent passing glance.

* * *

A crack of thunder woke Snake from his rest. He was still seated in his chair, though over time, he seemed to have fallen into a slumped position.

DD was standing nearby, his ears pointed straight as he listened to the thunder roll into the distance. Once it was gone, the animal began pacing the room again. Snake noticed his dogs movement as he sat up from his slumped position, stretching his sore muscles.

"Feeling restless there buddy." Snake spoke to the dog as he pushed himself from his chair.

DD, noticing his master had finally awoken, turned his attention to the closed door, resting his nose against it.

"Alright… just give me a sec." Snake yawned and proceeded to pop several of the bones in his body as he made his way to the door. His watch told him little over an hour had passed since he last spoke to Ocelot, wondering what might be taking him so long.

When the door finally opened, DD wasted not time to bound through the hallway with Snake following leisurely behind. Perhaps some fresh air might do him some good.

(-)

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters**

 **12 Hours Earlier**

"Boss!"

Snake was standing on the ramp leading into Devil Dog when he heard Miller's voice behind him. At first, he was sure it was just the wind, as it had picked up considerably the past several hours. Mix that with the sound of the helicopters engine and rotating blades, and it was difficult to hear anything. Miller still managed to grab Snakes attention though, who turned and watched him limp to the edge of the ramp.

"Where do you think you're going!" Miller called out, though much of it was lost in the deafening noise around them.

"I'm heading out!" Snake's voice was deep and cut through much of the noise.

"I can't let you do that Boss! Not with that heavy storm coming in from the North!"

Snake looked out towards the North, the heavy winds now blowing in his face. There was still light in the sky, the sun having not yet fully set, but on the Northern horizon... there was no light. A great fog crept over the ocean as it breached the horizon, shrouding everything it touched in darkness. Snake's eye darkened as the menacing cloud became what was once the horizon.

"The storm will be on top of us in 12 hours, maybe less!" Snake did not look towards Miller as his XO spoke. "I've already begun emergency preparations for Mother Base... Including the grounding of all air traffic! I'm sorry Boss, but it's going to have to wait!"

Snake turned towards Miller and walked down the ramp. When he was close enough that his XO could hear him without yelling, he spoke...

"Find Ocelot. We need to talk."

(-)

Blood rolled down Snake's brow as he sat in the ACC, reflecting the red light behind him around the dark cabin as the helicopter glided through the night. Quiet was sitting in her usual position, as the pair headed back to Mother Base. They had been working together for some time now, and had gotten to know each other a little better. Well... truth be told... Snake still knew very little about her, but he had grown to be more comfortable around his companion. The sniper remained silent though, still never talking. Instead, Snake began to notice her acceptance of him through her body language. She had become much more relaxed when they were together in the ACC; so much so that on several occasions she gave Snake a pretty impressive view of her chest, though he had not yet figured out if this was on purpose or an innocent accident. He tried not to think too much of it however, constantly reminding himself that... she was still a threat to his life.

Quiet took notice of the blood on Snake's forehead whenever the light would glint off of its metallic sheen. She turned to him, a concerned expression visible across her face. Snake only glanced at her for a second, expecting her to keep to herself. To his surprise, however, she got up from her seat and moved close to him. The sudden movement caused Snake to sit up straight, out of his slumped position. Despite his caution, the girl remained undeterred, crouching in front of him.

Snake locked his eye with hers as he waited for her next movement. In the past, he had always tried to avoid looking at her for too long, but in this moment it seemed to last forever. Her green eyes were beautiful, but also piercing; Snake began to feel uncomfortable.

"What?" Snake broke the silence, trying to figure out why she had approached him, though he knew she would not answer. Quiet simply cocked her head to the side and cooed a low hum.

Without taking her eyes off of him, Quiet removed the glove from her hand and began to slowly raise it towards Snake. He followed her movement intently with his eye, raising his guard as she grew closer. The sniper stopped when her hand was inches from his face, her eyes glowing with request for permission. Snake's eye darted between her hand and eyes; recognizing her intention, he reluctantly closed his eye.

Quiet's hand was much softer than he had expected. She ran the palm of her hand across his forehead, her fingers lightly brushing against his hair. Snake filled his lungs with a heavy breath, releasing it slowly as the girl sitting in front of him wiped the blood from his face; he couldn't remember the last time he felt this relaxed, but the feeling of her soft skin was both relieving and concerning. Snake had to wonder if he was beginning to enjoy her touch.

Snake opened his eye when he felt her hand pull away. Quiet was still sitting in front of him, smiling and softly humming.

"Uhh… thanks."

As expected, Quiet gave not response as she returned to her seat. Snake returned to his slumped position, watching the girl as she adjusted herself. When she was comfortable, the sniper again looked in his direction. Snake met his eye with hers for only a moment before turning his attention to the window. He could feel her gaze was still on him as he watched the night sky roll by, his thoughts beginning to wonder.

* * *

The rain was heavier than Snake had expected, as he and DD stepped outside. It came in at an angle, following the wind as it blew from the north. The ocean below Mother Base was in complete turmoil, crashing against the platforms and rocking them ever so slightly. Snake could feel the shifting balance beneath him as he let the dog enjoy his time. Looking up, the sky was its own raging ocean; the colorless black and gray clouds rolling over each other with malicious contortions.

Snake closed his eye as the rain hit his face, washing away the dirt from his scars and wrinkled skin. He stood motionless, holding his arms out as the storm soaked him to the bone, cleansing him physically and mentally. Snake found himself humming a familiar tune.

(-)

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters**

 **12 Hours Earlier**

"No! I'm sorry Boss but I've got to put my foot down! I'm not going to have any of it!" Miller's face was blistering red as he paced around the room with a slow limp.

Snake had expected this type of response when he opened up the discussion of Quiets survival, remembering Millers disdain towards her before her disappearance two years ago. He can't say he could blame him though, the sniper having both made an attempt at Snakes life and an agent for Cipher. He only wished Miller had accepted her as a Diamond Dog, as he had. Unfortunately, if his XO had not accepted her after two years, he had no chance of convincing him today; the easiest thing right now was to simply let Miller continue to vent as he leaned against a table in the Tower, his arms crossed over one another.

Ocelot was seated across the room in a rather comfortable chair, his leg crossed over his knee with his thumb to his chin. He had not yet spoken a word since the conversation had started, though in truth, this was perhaps because Miller had not stopped his rambling since Snake had mentioned the snipers name.

"I knew Cipher couldn't be dead!"

"Enough!" Snake interjected, receiving an angry glance from his friend. "Miller, this has nothing to do with Cipher."

"Boss, don't you get it?" Miller limped closer to Snake, who had now pushed himself off the table. "This is Cipher finally making their move. They are using your past relationship with this girl to lure us into a trap."

Snake could smell the stench of alcohol on his friends breath, who was now at less than arm's reach from him. Exhaling slowly, he realized arguing with Miller would be of no use right now; speaking in a calm tone.

"What makes you so sure Cipher is behind this?"

"Shotmaker is an agent for them. I knew it was only a matter of time until they tried to get to you through someone else."

"Shotmaker never confessed to dealing with Cipher."

"He doesn't have to."

Snake fixed his eye on Ocelot, who had not moved from his position. The cowboy took notice of the concern across his Boss' face and motioned towards the door, before getting up and walking out. Snake brought his attention back to his XO.

"Regardless, Quiet is a Dimond Dog… and if there is a chance she is still alive…" Snake watched as the anger in Miller's completion drained into despair.

"Quiets dead Boss… she died two years ago." Miller turned away from Snake, limping towards one of the windows that lined the wall. "If you go after her… you'll be walking into a trap."

Snake had seen his friend in a state of distress before, but this time Miller's words carried a hopeless sorrow. He had no consolation for his friend as he lowered his head. The two shared no more words as Snake headed towards the door.

Ocelot was waiting outside, leaning against the wall. Snake only gave him a passing glance as the two began walking in tandem through the hallway.

"You conducted your own interrogation, correct?" Snake inquired.

"As soon as we returned to base, yes."

"So what's it gonna be, is he working with Cipher or not?"

"Inconclusive."

"How so?" Snake came to abrupt stop, turning to Ocelot.

"I don't think Shotmaker even knew who he was dealing with. Maybe it WAS Cipher… maybe just someone who used to work for them. Either way, we have no concrete evidence on Ciphers existence or not."

"What do you think? Off the record."

Ocelot glanced away from Snake in thought before speaking…

"There is no doubt in my mind that there is someone, back in the States, who was heading Shotmakers Vocal Cord retrieval operation… but it's not Cipher."

Snake did not know if his personal sigh that followed resulted from frustration or relief, turning to continue down the hallway.

"What about Quiet?"

The two walked in silence, Ocelot forgoing a response as he thought.

"I don't have an answer." Ocelot finally spoke up, receiving a deep hum from Snake in response. "Shotmaker never mentioned her in my interrogation. It is possible he was withholding information strictly for yourself."

Ocelot stopped, touching his hand to Snake's shoulder.

"If I may ask, you seem awful convinced she is still alive… what makes you so sure?"

Snake had not turned to look at Ocelot when they stopped, and continued to not do so as he stared blankly down the hallway. To his dismay, the walls began to enclose around him, taking the appearance of smooth stone glistening with a fresh dew. The creeks and rattling noises of Mother Base faded down the hallway, the haunting whistle of the winds moan returning in its place. The storm could faintly be heard outside, growing ever more distant as Snake's memory returned him to the Black Site.

He could remember everything as clear as day. Shotmaker. The cells. The prisoner that was escorted out…

"Snake?"

Ocelot's voice returned him to Mother Base. Exhaling slowly, Snake tilted his head upward.

"The night I infiltrated the Black Site…" Snake spoke to Ocelot, but did not look at him. "A prisoner was escorted offsite. Shotmaker confessed, it was her."

"Snake… go get some rest. I think I might be able to help."

(-)

It was late in the evening when Pequod began his final approach towards Mother Base. Snake and Quiet sat silently in the ACC, both keeping to themselves, as they had become accustomed to. He had taken note of her increased secludedness the past several days, following an incident in the rain between the two. Snake wished he could talk to her about it, though he knew she wouldn't say a word. Instead, he resolved to watching the still waters pass by outside the window, washing gently against the Medical Platform as it came into view.

Snake shifted in his seat, an unusual amount of activity on the second deck catching his attention.

"Pequod… land on the Medical Platform, second deck."

"Yes Boss."

The activity had also attracted Quiets attention, who was now kneeling by the choppers window, watching as the people below grew closer. Snake recognized Ocelot and several of the Diamond Dog soldiers, who appeared to be corralling the group of kids that had arrived at Mother Base weeks ago. With a raised eyebrow, he wondered what had caused the commotion.

Miller was already waiting by the helipad when Pequod touched down. Before sliding open the door, Snake ensured Quiet had vanished, glancing at the spot she had occupied moments before.

"What's going on?"

Snakes question garnered the attention of the group as he walked up to them. He looked towards Ocelot for an explanation, but one of the children spoke up first; speaking in his native tongue…

"Shabani…"

The kid raised a pointed finger to an opening in the deck behind Snake.

"Shabani's… necklace…"

Snake followed the child's finger to the lower deck, raising his own in confirmation.

"It's down there?"

The boy kept his arms stretched out, giving no response. Snake accepted this as reason enough to investigate, turning towards the opening in the deck. As he approached, a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey!" Ocelot positioned himself between Snake and his destination. "The tank at the bottom is filled with chlorine disinfectant."

Snake glanced towards the lower deck. The floor was only faintly visible behind a thick hazy fog that rose through the opening before dissipating in the open air.

"One whiff and you'll suffocate."

Snake needed no more convincing. The chemical was so thick, he could smell it from where he was standing. He and Ocelot turned back towards the group, watching the kids pace anxiously, not understanding the danger that clouded the deck below.

"Don't even—" Miller casually stated towards Snake before turning to the children. "How could you let it fall down there, anyway?"

Snake was not surprised when Miller received no answer. The blank stares from the children bounced between the adults in the group, avoiding eye contact as much as possible. Ocelot was about to begin moving them off of the platform when something caught the boys attention.

"No!"

Snake turned around just quick enough to watch Quiet vault over the railing of the opening. The world around him seemed to slow down as he watched the sniper plunge towards the chemical filled deck. He could feel his heart skip a beat as it dropped in his chest; wanting to cry out, but no words came to him.

Snake's muscles flared to life as Quiet disappeared into the hazy fog, his legs carrying him to the railing. A firm hand latched onto his shoulders, holding him back and preventing him from chasing after her. Snake's eye and nose burned from the toxic fumes as he leaned over the edge, fruitlessly scanning the deck for his partner.

"Hit the alarm!"

Snake cried out with the first thing that came to his voice, though he did not know what good it would do. Perhaps it wasn't for her, but himself as his muscles instinctively began to lift him over the railing. He would have jumped after her, too, had Ocelot not pulled him away, standing between him and the opening in the deck.

"No!" Ocelot spoke, holding Snakes shoulders. "You go down there and it is over."

Snake heard his words, but they did not resonate in his mind. Within seconds the alarm kicked to life, blaring its loud siren across every deck of Mother Base. Images of Quiet flashed behind Snake's consciousness, boiling his blood as his desire to jump after her overtook his own safety.

"Boss!"

Miller called out helplessly as Snake pushed Ocelot to the side, reaching for the railing once more. Ocelot remained determined though, throwing himself on his Boss and positioning himself in front of him again.

"Hey! Listen to me! There is no way to recover the body!"

Snake never placed his eye on Ocelot as he spoke to him, keeping his focus on the smoke that faded as soon as it appeared over the railing. Why would she throw her life away for something so trivial? Answerless questions raced through Snake's mind as an overwhelming amount of discomfort began to wash over him, bringing him close to a state of tears. These feelings were unnatural to him… he couldn't let anyone see him breaking down… he had to get out…

Snake could feel his breath hasten as he turned away from Ocelot. As he did so, the two locked eyes in passing glance. Ocelot was a man who could keep many secrets, but the sorrow in his eyes gave him away this time: he was aware of his Boss' distress over the current situation.

"What kind of stunt was that." Snake could hear Miller's words behind him, not surprised by his lack of sympathy. "Trying to panic us…"

Snake's eye glossed over the children that stood in front of him, each of them focused on him, their eyes filled with confusion and concern. It hadn't been their fault, but Snake wanted to blame them; he HAD to blame them… but he didn't know why.

Two of the boys no longer set their eyes on Snake as he approached them, their attention focused behind him. He thought little of it… until they sprinted past him. He didn't want to look, afraid to face that pit again, yet found his body turning anyway. What caught his eye, he believed was nothing short of a miracle. A gloved hand emerged from the poisonous fog, clutching the railing with what life it had left. In an instant, all of the emotion, the distress, and the anger he had felt came rushing back to him like a wave.

 _He. Would. Not. Show. Weakness._

Like a shot of adrenaline, Snake leaped into action.

"Move!"

He wasted no time placing a firm grip on the shoulders of the two boys standing by the railing, causing them to lose balance as he pushed his way between them. Quiet was struggling to lift herself out by time Snake reached her, grabbing her by the arm to pull her over the railing before catching her in his own. He could hear her grunts of pain as he did so, her body covered in red blisters and burns. A small pendant dropped from her hand as he lifted her into a carrying position, his arms supporting her back and knees.

Snake spoke no words to the group of surprised onlookers as he turned towards the first deck of the Medical Platform, walking off with Quiet in his arms. He moved slowly, careful to avoid causing any more discomfort. He never took his eye off of her as he walked, wondering how it had come to this…

Snake looked at the face of the assassin, one that had tried to kill him not long ago, and realized that he did, in fact, care for her. After all their time together in the ACC, out in the field, and… in the rain… Snake's heart broke to see her in so much pain.

"Don't worry, I've got you." He spoke softly to the girl in his arms.

* * *

The monsoon rain poured over the deserted decks of Mother Base. Snake stood at the edge of the Command Platform, watching the waves crash against the struts.

A hand touched his shoulder, a grip that belonged to Ocelot.

"It's time to go."

Snake nodded slowly in response before turning back towards the ocean, the rain splashing against his face.

Devil Dog's rotors cut through the rain like a knife, causing an umbrella effect underneath it. Snake and Ocelot were greeted by the helicopters crew as they approached, exchanging a few words that were muffled by the storm and chopper engine.

Devil Dog's crew loaded aboard, followed closely by their Boss who turned to give one last glance towards Ocelot. The helicopter jerked as it began to rise into the air, the storm rocking it as soon as it was off the ground. Snake continued to watch Ocelot who stood alone in the rain, raising his hand and gesturing a farewell. He mouthed something, but his words were devoured by the crack of thunder.

Snake turned and entered the helicopter, the ramp closing behind him.


	7. Abandoned

Room 101. Its purpose, prisoner interrogation.

Snake stood motionless just outside, shadowed by the dim light of the hallway. Thoughts of the pending confrontation raced through his mind. He wanted answers, but couldn't let emotions get the best of him. Taking a deep breath, he pressed a small red button on the wall.

The door hissed open.

Shotmaker sat in the center of the room, his head lowered to the ground. Snake narrowed his eye, focusing on the man as he stepped into the room. He carried himself slowly, each step echoing off the steel walls.

"I knew it was only a matter of time until you came through that door." Shotmaker did not look up as he spoke.

Snake gave no immediate response as he stopped in front of the man, looking down on him.

"Let's get one thing straight." Snake spoke calmly, but his voice was deep and commanding. "Do. Not. Bullshit me."

"That depends on what you want to know." Shotmaker kept his head to the floor. His voice was tired and slow, taking deep breaths between sentences. "I already told the cowboy everything he wanted to hear."

"You didn't tell him what I want to hear." Snake raised his chin to the man.

"And what do you want to hear…" Shotmaker finally raised his head, meeting Snake's eye. "Boss?"

The two men remained still, staring at each other in silence. Snake could see the fire burning in the other man's eyes, but it wasn't of malice or hatred. He tilted his head slightly as a smile slowly crept across Shotmaker's face, responding with a scowl, offended at how relaxed this man was with his current situation. Realizing his enemy was attempting to gauge his emotional stability, Snake pressed on… seeking answers.

"Back in the Black Site, you seem to have believed my intrusion was because of a certain someone."

"Ah…" Shotmaker took his eyes away from Snake's, leaning back in his chair. "You mean the Sniper Quiet."

When they locked eyes again, Snake could see the excitement behind his glossy pupils. This was a conversation he had been expecting… anticipating. Snake knew he had to proceed carefully.

"You must be mistaken. How can you possibly know her, she sacrificed her life two years ago." It pained Snake to say those words, a small part of him hoping Shotmaker might be speaking the truth.

"I know she was an agent of Cipher, I know what her mission was, and I know you two had grown… fond of each other. Unlike you, however, I know that she lived."

Snake raised an eyebrow, interested in his words but remaining silent.

"You know…" Shotmaker continued, a half-cocked smile across his face. "I almost feel bad for her. She was such a beautiful butterfly, if a little broken when she finally arrived to me."

Snake could feel the beating in his chest begin to grow stronger, as if his heart was attempting burst free. Closing his eye, and taking a deep breath, he calmed his nerves before continuing…

"Let's assume for a second that I believed you. She was not amongst the prisoners we rescued from your base. What happened to her?"

"She was transferred off site after I was done with her."

Snake clenched his fist as his blood began to boil, realization getting the better of his emotions. He attempted to swallow his frustration, maintaining his cool, though some part of him knew Shotmaker had the upper hand.

"The evening I infiltrated the Black Site, I saw a prisoner being escorted out…"

"Not many people get to leave once they have entered." Shotmaker leaned forward in his chair, moving closer to Snake as he widened his eyes. "If the sinking feeling in your gut is telling you, 'I just missed her'… it might just be right."

Shotmaker's taunting words were the only motivation Snake needed to be pushed over his emotional barrier, popping his knuckles as he tightly clenched his fist. The strike that followed landed square across Shotmaker's cheekbone, knocking him from his seated position and flat against the cold metal floor. Like the flash of a photograph, Snake saw himself in the wounded and breathless man, the moment resembling how he had been and felt when their roles were flipped. But he could not back down now…

"You son of a bitch! Where is she!"

Shotmaker could not answer as he laid on the floor, coughing from the blow he had just taken. The left side of his face had already begun to swell a pinkish red, his eye half closed and blood dripping from his lips. Snake squatted down, bringing himself closer to Shotmaker, intent on making the bastard regret pushing him over the edge.

"Look at me…" Snake's words hissed through his teeth as he grabbed Shotmaker's mohawk, lifting his head off the ground. "Where is she…"

Shotmaker grunted, blood trailing from his mouth and bubbling in the back of his throat.

"I'll ask one last time… where is she…"

Shotmaker's un-swollen eye finally met with Snake's, a bloodied smile crossing his face. Behind gargled words, he finally spoke…

"The handoff… is happening… in Pripyat. From there… she will be moved… to the States."

Snake dropped Shotmaker's head back to the ground with a thud, breathing heavily as he stood back up. He wanted to kill the man laying on the ground in front of him, but having regained some of his emotional consciousness, he knew better than to act so hastily. Shotmaker was still a valuable source of information; not just on Quiet, but the entire operation he had been running post-Skull Faces death. Snake instead resolved to turn his back to him, leaving him in a pool of his own blood.

"If she makes it to the States… you'll never see Annabelle again." Shotmaker gargled a final warning as Snake walked for the door, taking his words as a challenge.

When the door closed with a hiss, Snake collapsed to his knees, his anger and hatred cleansed from him as if it had been wiped away. It was in this moment that he felt the trepidation of aloneness; fearful of the consequences should he not rescue the girl he had become so close to. Shotmaker's words seemed so sincere, but the idea of her survival was still too surreal in his mind. Snake needed answers… he needed to see the Old Man.

* * *

 **Chapter VII** _  
Abandoned  
_

* * *

Devil Dog rocked violently as it glided through the sky, wind and rain breaking against it. Pequod maintained a low altitude, close to the oceans surface as to avoid the threatening clouds that spiraled above them. Every once in a while he would have to jerk the chopper upwards, dodging rogue waves that traveled across the ocean like monsters teeth, eager to pull them to the depths below. Devil Dogs crew kept an uncomfortable silence, each with a mutual understanding that any distraction could be the end of all of them.

Snake sat watching the crashing of the waves just outside his window, throwing salt into the air and against the chopper. Flashes of lightning rolled through the clouds and streaked across the sky continuously, like a war was being waged in the heavens, and under the ocean. Occasionally, a bolt would break the clouds and strike the waters surface, emitting a flash of blinding white light. In these moments, Snake could see his reflection in the glossy finish of the window…

But it was never really himself that he saw.

* * *

 **Devil Dog  
** **En Route to Ukraine  
** **0800 Hours**

Devil Dog depressurized as the loading ramp lowered to its open position, the cabin filling with a gust of wind that carried the sounds of the choppers rotors and engines. Pequod no longer flew close to the ocean's waves, but maintained a comfortable altitude just beneath the clouds. Having broken the storm barrier moments before, Snake was ready for some fresh air.

His crew watched in disbelief as he crept out on the loading ramp, supporting himself with one of the hydraulic beams.

Snake closed his eye as he inhaled the oceans crisp aroma, filling his lungs with the early mornings dew. With each breath of fresh air, Snake was reminded of how musky the helicopters cabin had become. Opening his eye again, he looked towards the clouds. They were like lumpy marshmallows glazed over the earths surface, blocking out the sun and coloring everything a smokey gray. The ocean below was crystal blue, smooth enough to paint a perfect reflection of the clouds above as it sat motionless. In the distance behind them, Snake could still see where the clouds grew darker, and a maelstrom rocked the ocean waters.

Snake's view of the storm became blurred when the light of the sun blinded his eye. Holding his hand up to shadow his vision, Snake watched as Devil Dog passed underneath the charcoal colored clouds, leaving them in the distance. The entire sky had opened up in an instant, untouched by raging storm. For miles, the ocean was a deep blue, rays of light bouncing off of it and shimmering with its faint movements. The heat of the sun warmed Snake's dry skin as he stood on the ramp, comforted by everything he saw.

It was a new day…

* * *

"Tower, this is Devil Dog… do you copy?"

"Tower, this is Devil Do—"

"They can't hear you son." Snake placed his hand on Wire's shoulders, cutting him off. The boy returned a concerned glance, unsure of how to proceed.

Snake only nodded his head before turning towards the rest of his crew. Doc sat near the rear of the chopper, reviewing a collection of documents he had received from Ocelot. Snake had not concerned himself with them, but he believed they had something to do with Quiet. Wasp stood in his usual position by the side-door gun, watching the ocean pass below them. Wrench was near the weapons rack, loading empty magazines with bullets. Everyone knew what they were doing… everyone except for Wire, who sat in front his communications equipment, unsure of what to do when there was no one to talk to.

"Listen up!" Snake broke the silence, their eyes shifting in his direction. "By now your probably wondering why we broke lockdown protocol." The crew sat silent, no one wanting to interrupt their Boss. "This mission is extremely time sensitive, and could not wait any longer… it's a VIP rescue."

Snake watched his crew's eyes as they darted between one another, each wondering the same question.

"Boss, we are with you all the way… but something about this mission feels off. Commander Ocelot was extremely vague with us, and we received no orders from your XO."

Wrench had been the one to speak up. She had always been the bravest of the group, unafraid to speak her mind. Snake respected that, but still knew there were some secrets he could not yet reveal.

"It's personal." He knew that was an unsatisfactory answer, but his crew accepted it anyway.

"What are your orders then, Boss." Wrench spoke for the group again.

Knowing he had dodged an uncomfortable conversation, Snake nodded his head as he pulled out his iDroid. It chimed to life with a high pitch beep, as a holographic map was blown up between the group.

"This is Pripyat, in the Ukraine region." The crew leaned in, looking over the map as Snake pointed to it. "Shotmaker has pointed this out as the location of the handoff. Currently, the Target is in the hands of Shotmaker's forces, and we have reason to believe the other group may be associated with Cipher."

"Two hostile groups and on friendly target… what's are plan of attack?" Wrench looked up towards Snake, rubbing her chin with the bottom of her thumb.

"If we remain on course, we should arrive three days ahead of the scheduled handoff. Devil Dog will drop me off here…" Snake pointed at the grasslands on the outskirts of the city. "From there, I will make my way into the city and take a position at the top floor of this hotel, overlooking the square. For the next 72 Hours, I will maintain a sniper position until the time of the handoff; at which point I will provide covering fire as Devil Dogs comes in and cleans house. Any questions?"

"Yah…" Wire spoke up, pointing towards the map. "Why here? What's significant about this city?"

"April 26th of this year…" Snake spoke without taking his eye off of Wire. "The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant went into catastrophic meltdown, releasing radioactive particles into the atmosphere. Pripyat sits at ground zero… the cities abandoned… dead." Snake turned to face the rest of the group, his tone no less serious.

"It's the perfect place for something like this…"

The crew remained silent, each of their eyes fixed on the iDroids map as to prevent eye contact. No one spoke a word, as there were no words to be spoken. Each of them knew they were heading into the arms of the devil, to be carried into the depths of hell.

* * *

 **Pripyat, Ukraine  
** **Exclusion Zone**

 **4 Days until Hand-off**

Devil Dog jolted as it touched down. Snake was perched on the loading ramp when they did so, holding himself steady when his weight shifted as the helicopter landed. Snake and his crew had equipped breather masks, protecting themselves from the toxic air. Looking around, Snake examined his surroundings; it was nothing like Afghanistan or Africa.

The grass was tall and swayed slowly in the wind, but it was dead. The field was an ocean of lifeless flowers and trees, coloring the landscape with rusty grays and browns. What green was left could be found on the occasional tree, though even then, the leaves had begun to wither and drop to the ground. The only word Snake could think of to describe what he saw… was 'depressing'.

The barren landscape was complemented perfectly by the hazy clouds in the sky, that looked like plumes of smoke that had been caught in the earths atmosphere. The sun was high in the sky, saturating the surrounding area with a grayish hue as it attempted to breach the thick clouds; though no rays of light managed to shine through.

Snake stood at the edge of the ramp, inspecting the land around him. Even through his rebreather, he tell the air was thick and impure, almost tasting its sourness with each labored breath. Holding out his hand, he watched as tiny specks of soot settled against his palm and fingers. Upon closer inspection, he discovered the air was full the minuscule particles; floating around with the light breeze.

Over the treetops, and in the distance, Snake could see a glimpse of the city. Only a few months ago, Pripyat had housed nearly 50,000 men, women, and children; most of whom worked in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant just outside the city. When the reactors entered catastrophic meltdown, the city had to be evacuated immediately. Most people simply grabbed their families and fled, leaving everything they had once owned behind. Pripyat now stood abandoned and alone, a tomb of past lives and memories. The city was now a graveyard.

"Boss…"

Snake turned away from the bleak and dismal sights, Doc having approached him from behind. His voice was muffled by his rebreather.

"Take this." Doc handed a small, handheld device to Snake. It had no dials or buttons, but a small needle that looked like the hand of a clock. "That there is a Geiger Counter. It detects radiation levels. I suggest you keep that needle as low as possible."

Snake accepted the gift with a nod, attaching it to his belt. As Doc walked away, Wrench filled his spot.

"Here's the weapon you requested Boss. Fully modified and ready for action."

The rifle she handed over was a customized AM MRS-73. It was a semi-automatic rifle with moderate range but high bullet velocity, able to bring a man down with a single shot to the chest. Snake had it modified with a short barrel for increased mobility, with a silencer attached to the end. A grip along the under barrel of the weapon gave him added support when aiming. Lastly, Snake had it equipped with a long range sniper scope for long range shooting, though canted iron sights gave him the option of close quarters should it be required. Snake accepted the weapon happily, inspecting it before slinging it on his back.

Wrench saluted her Boss before heading back into the helicopter.

The ground was muddy and soft, sinking slightly as Snake stepped off of the ramp. He noted that it almost felt spongy underneath him, saturated with the chemical waste. He took one last look towards his crew as the helicopters ramp began to close. They gave him concerned smiles, but nodded their acceptance of the mission non-the-less.

Snake turned towards the wasteland and pressed forward. The only sound available to him was the rustle of the grass and the ghostly whistle of the wind.

* * *

Traveling through the exclusion zone had proven much more difficult than Snake expected. The pockets of intense radiation prevented him from taking a direct path to the city, but zig-zagged him through the wasteland. As he walked, he would often come upon the remnants of human life. The skeleton of a house still standing alone and abandoned, with a half eaten family dinner still laid out on the table. An empty church that no longer provided comfort to the scared, God having been replaced by mankind's thirst for nuclear power. The road leading out of the city was a graveyard; rusty cars lined up in the road, having been abandoned when the panicked traffic grind'ed to a halt. Snake paid little attention to the sights… they were too depressing.

Pripyat was even worse, though.

The apartment blocks towered over Snake as he made his way into the city. A ghostly chill traveled down his spine as he looked towards the empty buildings, as if expecting a figure to be standing behind the foggy glass of one of the windows, only to move away quickly as soon as he spotted him. There was an uncomfortable feeling he could not shake. The feeling of eyes watching his every move in silence, though he could not find them.

Snake was not a religious man, but this place felt as if it had a powerful presence. The bleak and gray buildings that stood silently in the abandoned city whispered in Snake's ear; pained cries from the ghostly spirits that still inhabited them. The bone-chilling dread pleaded for him to turn around, but Snake knew he had to press on… for her sake.

By the time Snake reached the hotel, the sky had begun to darken, though the sun still remained invisible. He was weary and exhausted, the radioactive air having began to burn in his lungs despite the rebreather. _Three more days of this_ he thought to himself as he saddled his gear and headed into the hotel.

* * *

 **Pripyat, Ukraine  
** **City of Pripyat**

 **72 Hours until Hand-off**

Snake had gotten very little sleep throughout the night, uncomfortable with how silent the city was in the dead of night. He had grown used to sleeping in strange locations, whether it was Afghanistan or Africa, a hard concrete floor or a damp muddy ground. Despite their, less than desirable conditions, those places still provided the comforting sounds of life throughout the night; be it people talking, animals moving around, or even just the crackle of a campfire. This place was different… where people should be found, there was nothing but silent air. There were no birds in the sky, no dogs on the ground, or even mice in the walls. The only sound available to Snake as the night progressed was the empty whistle of the wind as it passed uninterrupted through the lifeless buildings.

His first day was spent setting up.

The hotel Snake had set up camp in overlooked the city square. It was a fairly open area, with several other buildings surrounding it. Setting up his rifle on a bipod gave him a perfect sightline to the area below, with only a few thin trees scattered here and there. Near the rear of the building, he anchored a hook next to a blown out window. This would allow him to quickly rappel down the hotel once the fighting started.

Occasionally as Snake worked, the sound of children's laughter echoed with the wind. It had startled him a few times, but fruitless attempts to find the source convinced him it was only his imagination.

He went about his day, preparing for the events that would happen in the next 72 Hours…

* * *

 **Pripyat, Ukraine  
** **City of Pripyat**

 **48 Hours until Hand-off**

The crack of thunder woke Snake from his sleep. He was blinded at first, unable to see through the dark of night. Reaching for his flashlight, he flipped it on; the beam of light cut through the night like a knife, piercing the darkness before being devoured by it again. The weight of the darkness was unnerving, preventing Snake from seeing anything but what he pointed his light towards as it closed in around him. Directing the light outside, the drops of rain became visible as the light glinted off them as they drizzled to the ground.

The air in the hotel was brisk and off-putting, so much so that it almost felt alien. Snake could feel it resting against his skin, and settling in his lungs. On it, the wind carried the patter of the rain and the howl of the breeze. Snake rested his head back and closed his eye, listening to the to the sounds of the abandoned city.

That was when he heard it…

 _A melody… a hum… a familiar tune…_

Snake shot up to a siting position, his eye burning as he attempted to peer into the thick darkness. Picking up his flashlight, he scanned the room. There was nothing to see but the decaying remnants of what had been left behind… the room was empty.

 _A melody… a hum… a familiar tune…_

Snake's ears twitched, turning the light in the direction of the stairwell. The doorway was empty, but the hum echoed through it.

Snake drew his handgun as pushed himself to his feet, moving slowly towards the stairwell. Each step was slow, keeping his sights trained on the doorway. The crunch of papers littered across the floor resounded with each step. Turning the corner quickly, Snake shot his light down the stairwell. Again, it was empty.

 _A melody… a hum… a familiar tune…_

Something was leading him down, that he could no longer deny. The hum bounced through the rooms and the corridors of the hotel, hiding beyond the dark shadows. Snake followed the tune, down the stairs.

It stopped when he reached a long corridor. Pointing his light down it, he could not see the other side. Stepping into the hallway, Snake noticed the empty rooms that lined the corridor. He was now in the heart of the graveyard. The air was still and no longer carried its hollow howl, but still just as menacing; like a dull moan fading out of the abandoned rooms. Pictures of broken lives hung crooked on the walls, as possessional belongs sat patiently on the floors, waiting for their owners return.

Snake walked slowly through the hallway, coming to a stop when he felt the weight of something against his boot. Shining his light to the ground, he picked up a small doll. It was crude and poorly stitched together, but looking at it reminded him that there had been people who once lived here; and lost everything. Maybe it was his imagination, but for a second he could have sworn he heard the sound of a child's laughter echoing through the walls.

 _A melody… a hum… a familiar tune…_

Snake dropped the doll when he heard it again. It was close… inside one of the rooms. With a small amount of haste, he scanned the rooms as he moved through the corridor, each one turning out empty. He had almost lost hope of finding the source of the hum until his light broke the darkness of the final room.

Caught in the center of his beam was a woman, standing with her back to Snake. Her hair was down, but short enough to not pass her shoulders. Snake felt his heart begin to quicken as his eye followed the lines down her back. She was completely bare, except for the black bottoms she wore. His eye began to twitch as she turned around, facing him with her arms to the side.

Snake tried to maintain focus on her face, but it was in vain; his eye trailing down to her body as she began to walk towards him, a smile on her face and humming a slow tune. Her skin was smooth and flawless, as if it was too perfect to be real. With each step, her breasts swayed gently, topped by two salmon pink nipples that pointed erect from the chilly air. Her legs were long and slender, but strong enough that he could see the flex of her muscles as she walked.

He knew he shouldn't, but Snake lowered his weapon as she drew closer. His breath hitched when she stopped in front of him, close enough that he could have touched her without raising a finger. She simply smiled at him, staring into his eye before looking down to his rebreather. Snake jerked his head back when she reached for it, reminding himself of the toxic chemicals that filled the air. She remained undeterred, however, humming a comforting tune as she lightly placed her hands on his mask.

Snake closed his eye as she gently pulled it off of him, lifting it over his head. His first realization was of how clean the air tasted on his lips, and in his lungs… but it was also a warning.

"You can't be real…" Snake looked into the green eyes of the girl that stood before him, slowly shaking his head.

In response, she put her hand to his check. Her touch was soft and comforting, causing Snake to close his eye as he pressed against her palm. Then, he felt something he had never experienced before…

A pair of lips gently pressed against his own…

* * *

Snake's heart jumped as he launched himself into a seated position.

The sun was out, though not visible past the gray clouds that hovered in the sky. The ground outside was damp from the evening's rain. Everything was normal… as it had been.

Again, she had been a dream…

* * *

 **Pripyat, Ukraine  
** **City of Pripyat**

 **24 Hours until Hand-off**

 _"I wanted to express my feelings to you. If only we shared a common tongue…"_

Quiet's tape played in Snake's ears as he stared across the horizon, looking over the city. A ferris wheel in the distance caught his attention as well as the Chernobyl Power Plant that stood alone in the outskirts, casting its shadow over the abandoned city.

His thoughts began to wonder, having grown weary from the endless waiting.

His first thoughts were of Cyprus, and the assassin that had tried to kill him when he woke from his coma. She died that night, caught up in a ball of fire. Born from her ashes was the sniper Quiet, the women Snake identified with and had grown fond of. He understood now what it had all been about, her behavior and how she moved, and ultimately why she decided to leave him. It was true what Ocelot had said about her, that she had fallen in love with him; even if he didn't see it at the time. Two years ago, he didn't want to accept the thought of a relationship, revenge having been their motive for everything. That's the problem with revenge… it's all consuming, a cancer that destroys from the inside. It had had infected him, as well as her… but he was ready to move on.

Next, Snake thought of the many hours they spent in the ACC. For such a quiet girl, she always had something to say in their trips together. It saddened him to realize that everything she did back then was an attempt to get his attention, though he would rarely give her the time of day. He wondered if he had done things differently, would he still be standing here now…

 _"I am Quiet… I am… the absence of words."_

The tape finished playing.

* * *

 **Pripyat, Ukraine  
** **City of Pripyat  
** **0700 Hours**

Snake had gotten no sleep the previous night, his mind a web of thoughts and memories, and his veins pumping with anticipation. By now it was adrenaline that kept him awake.

The first sign of life was carried on the wind. The hum of motorized engines.

Minutes passed before the vehicles could be seen on the horizon, speeding quickly down the road and kicking up a cloud of dust behind them. Snake focused his rifles sights on them as they entered the city, stopping just short of the square. Climbing out of the vehicles, unmarked mercenaries began to surround the square. Snake could feel his muscles tighten at the sight of the soldiers, who were professionally equipped and wore heavy combat gear. They were no PF organization, that was for sure.

Once the square was locked down, another man emerged from one of the vehicles. He was clean, wearing a crisp black suit and tie. His hair was combed and parted down one side. Snake recognized him instantly as a company man. His finger twitched on the trigger, wondering if this was the man who pulled all the strings. He could end it right here…

He did not fire though, the sound of more vehicles approaching from behind drew his attention.

Snake watched as the vehicles stopped near the square, opposite the other forces. This time it was Soviet soldiers that climbed out, filling the area. _20\. Between 20 and 30_. Snake counted the total number of combatants that now paced the square, giving each other shifty glances as they waited to see who would make the first move.

Unlike the soldiers, the man in the suit remained completely calm, his hands rested behind his back. He walked out to the center of the square, and waited.

Snake's breath quickened when he finally saw her, pulled from one of the vehicles by a Soviet soldier. She was wearing a dark colored jumpsuit that covered her entire body, with a bag pulled over her head. Her hands were tied behind her back.

She stumbled when she tried to walk, falling to her knees. Snake's blood boiled as he watched the soldier violently lift her to her feet and drag her forward.

"Devil Dog, I've got eyes on the target… begin your approach." Snake's trigger finger was itching badly. One wrong move and he would risk everything.

The soviet soldier and the man in the suit exchanged a few words in Russian when they had met up in the center of the square. It was at that moment that he revealed her, the man in the suit pulling the bag from her head.

What Snake saw broke his heart. He might have even cried if another entity didn't take over…

His demon…

The bringer of death…

He pulled the trigger.

* * *

 **B.T.S. -** Gold Star to anyone who recognized Call of Duty 4 as a source of inspiration.


	8. To Save a Butterfly

"Boss…"

The sound of a ghostly voice faded from his consciousness, holding no truth to reality. This was a name for another.

"Snake…"

There was meaning to the word, but lies still dripped from its tongue. The name holds many uses.

"Ahab…"

The name was damned, bread for a single purpose. Revenge. It was identifiable.

Snake awoke, his brow damp with sweat. There was a tingling sensation in his left arm; the phantom pain.

"It's time you learned the truth…"

The voice startled Snake, but he did not panic. The figure stood in the corner opposite his bed, concealed by the shadows of the room.

"You appear to me again, yet your words remain cryptic. There is something about you… about me. I can feel it scratching at my mind. Why do you haunt me?" Snake spoke calmly to the ghostly figure.

"It's time you learn the truth… return to Cyprus… and you shall have your answers…"

The figure made no effort to move as it glided backward, vanishing into shadowy void.

* * *

 **Chapter VIII** _  
To Save a Butterfly_

* * *

 **Pripyat, Ukraine**

"Devil Dog, I've got eyes on the target… begin your approach." Snake's trigger finger was itching badly. One wrong move and he would risk everything.

The Soviet soldier pushed his prisoner to her knees in front of the man wearing a black suit and tie, exchanging a few words of Russian with him. Snake's scope bounced between the two men, growing nervous as his window of opportunity began to quickly drain.

The two men exchanged a handshake before the man in the suit reached for the prisoner, pulling the bag off that had covered her head. Snake saw everything through his scope…

Her pale and cracked skin…

The lacerations across her neck…

The tears that had dried as bloody stains on her cheeks…

Snake's chest burned as his heart skipped a beat. He had been to hell and back again, but never had he witnessed so much pain in one's eyes. He might have even cried if another entity didn't take over…

His demon…

The bringer of death…

The phantom of revenge…

He pulled the trigger.

The bullet exited the barrel with a silent pop, muted by the suppressor. It was as sharp as a spear as it pierced the air in a circular glide, as if the air itself was warping around it so that it could pass uninterrupted. Its target never even knew it was coming.

Within nanoseconds, the Soviet soldier standing next to Quiet collapsed, his chest bursting open like a watermelon. The soldiers on both sides went into a frenzied panic, jumping for cover and quickly scanning the building around them. The man in the suit reeled back, having been covered in blood that sprayed from the soldiers chest. Before another round could be fired, he was surrounded by several of his guards, acting as human shields as they escorted him back to the vehicles. Quiet was now alone in the center of the square, a lifeless stare behind her eyes.

Snake looked up from his scope, a shocked expression across his face. What had possessed him to fire prematurely?

There was no time to dwell on his emotional state, the soldiers below pinpointing his location quicker than he had expected. Quickly, he returned his focus to his weapon… but time had run out.

Like the uproar of an angry crowd, the air filled with the echoed pops of machine gun fire. Snake bruised his head against the floor as he ducked for what little cover his vantage point provided. The hotel began to shake as the wall of bullets crashed against it, blowing out windows and ricocheting off the walls. Snake's hearing deafened as the whizz of passing bullets became the only sound available to him.

He needed to fight back… but just raising his head would spell certain death.

Dust and debris filled Snake's lungs as the building began to crumble around him, the bullets chipping away at the concrete and stone. It was then that he realized he would die anyway, even if he did nothing. His breathing was sharp as he reached for his rifle, raising his head off the ground and to its scope.

Trying set sights on a target was no easy task, his scope shaking with every bullet that passed close by. Snake held his breath as he squeezed the trigger.

The shot did not find its target, sparking against the ground close by.

 _Shit!_

Every beat of his heart was like a punch to the chest as Snake held his breath again, readjusting his aim. He squeezed the trigger again but could not follow through, his weapon ripped from his hands as it sparked with a blinding light. The sound of metal scratching against metal in twisted contortions deafened him; replacing the hum of machine gun fire. His senses were lost to him as he threw his head back against the ground, the ring of a high pitched squeal bursting through his ear drum. When the throbbing in his head mellowed out, he realized the machine guns had stopped firing. The building had stopped collapsing around him. There was another sound, a new sound, though Snake could not see its source.

It was like a charging engine, quickening in pace and pitch. A revolving cylinder screeching against its spindle. A crooked small crossed Snake's lips…

Devil Dog roared overhead like a tiger pouncing on its prey, its mini-gun opening fire with a loud scream, echoed by the sound of empty casings cascading to the concrete below.

Snake rose to his feet, the tension in his muscles releasing and relief washing over him. The soldiers below had completely removed their focus from him, opening fire on the helicopter with their small arms. Devil Dog had taken up a circular path around the square, raining hellfire down on its helpless prey from the side door gun placement. Snake could see Wasp was enjoying the fight.

"You're not a moment too soon, Pequod."

"You always start the fight without me Boss."

Snake smiled to himself at Pequad's quick remark, too relieved to be upset over a harmless joke.

The soldiers below had already begun to scramble in disarray, finding what little cover they could. Devil Dog's machine gun was equipped with armor piercing rounds, powerful enough to cut through the steel bodies of their vehicles with little resistance, ripping anyone open who had attempted to take cover behind them. Within seconds of Devil Dogs arrival, the square had become soaked in a bath of blood. In the center of it all, Quiet still sat motionless.

Snake's heart sank, realizing it would only take one stray shot…

"Pequod, I am exiting the hotel. Maintain your flight path but hold fire!"

"Boss?"

Snake did not respond as he made his way to the rear of the room, tethering himself to the hook he had planted days before. Without a second thought, he jumped from the window, rappelling down the side of the hotel.

Snake pulled out his pistol when he reached the ground, detaching himself from his rope. The air was uncomfortably silent again, Devil Dog having ceased fire. The only disturbance came from the pained moans of dying soldiers.

Checking his corners as he made his way around the hotel, Snake moved slowly towards the square, his pistol held close to his chest. The row of vehicles the Soviets had driven up in were riddled with bullet holes, and had become mangled mess's of twisted metal and shredded leather. As he crept past, Snake kept his eye on the bloodied bodies that lined them, ensuring they were in fact dead.

It had not taken long for the square to clear out, only bodies of the dead being left behind. Snake counted them as he crossed the ocean of blood, making note of how many hostiles still lived. More than he had hoped for. Devil Dog slowly circled the square above, scanning for enemy movement.

Quiet sat on her knees, facing away from Snake as he approached. Moving slowly, he knelt down behind her, tucking his pistol away in its holster. If she was aware that he was behind her, there was not effort made to show it. The girl remained motionless, sitting in the pool of blood that had begun to soak into her jumpsuit.

Snake licked his lips lightly as he reached his prosthetic out, holding his breath as he gently raised it to her shoulder. His exhale has shaky when his hand finally rested against her, though his prosthetic did not allow him to truly feel her in his hand. The girl continued to sit silently, unmoving. Pulling out his knife, Snake sliced the ropes that bound her hands behind her back, causing her arms to dangle loosely to her sides as her hands splashed in the pool of blood.

"Quiet…" Snake's words were hushed behind his rebreather as he shifted closer to her. "It's me…"

As it had always been, Quiet did not respond. Snake's attention to her broke when he heard the sound of ruffled movement and indistinguishable voices, reminding him that they were not yet alone.

If she would not move, he would do it for her.

Grabbing her by the shoulders, Snake pulled her back into his arms. What he had seen through the scope horrified him, but to finally see her up close… he blinked tears out of his eye as he looked over her, holding her close.

Her skin was pale and cracked, stained red with the blood that leaked from open sores. Her eyes were open, but they registered no light. What had once been beautiful shades of green, had now dimmed, as if her pupils had been consumed by a ghostly fog. From her eyes, streaks of bloody tears had dried on her cheeks.

Snake's eye trailed over her face, taking in ever mark, every scar, every agonizing laceration; lingering at something he had not expected.

Her lips… stitched together.

Snake closed his eye, a tear rolling down his face before dropping to her swollen cheek.

"Pequod, I've secured the target… but she remains unresponsive." Snake opened his eye as he rose to his feet, lifting Quiet in his arms.

"Roger that Boss. Coming in f— Shit! RPG! RPG!"

Snake turned just in time to watch one of the mercenaries step out into the open, a rocket launcher hoisted on his shoulder. The spindle of Devil Dog's mini-gun kicked to life, but it wasn't fast enough. A cloud of smoke exploded out of the back of the launcher as its payload shot into the air, careening through the sky like a fiery dragon.

"HANG ON!" Pequad's voice cracked through Snake's radio as he watched Devil Dog bank sharply, the rocket barely grazing the hull.

Pequod fought to regain control as Devil Dog did several horizontal spins from the sudden, forced movement.

Machine gun fire filled the air again, catching Snake out in the open. He gritted his teeth as several rounds caught him in the shoulder, the pain almost forcing him to drop Quiet. Around him, bullets ricocheted off the ground, geysering the pools of blood where they landed. Snake dropped to his knee when he felt the sting off another round pierce his thigh. He couldn't see, his vision blurry and spotted from the overwhelming pain. His muscles felt as if they were on fire. Lowering his head, he knew this was the end…

A gust of wind knocked Snake off balance, pushing him to the ground. Devil Dog had swooped in just overhead, its mini-gun roaring to life as it sprayed a line of fire into the enemies position. Snake covered his head as the shell-casing began to litter the ground around him. To touch one was like touching a hot ember.

"Boss! You need to move!" Pequad's words rang true as Snake pushed himself off the ground.

Scooping Quiet back into his arms, he limped for the nearest cover; a row of pillars that held up one of the building overhangs. He barely made it half way when the screech of the rocket could be heard again."

"HOLD ON!" Pequod hit the stick again, narrowly dodging the rocket as it passed by, exploding when it made contact with the hotel roof.

Taking cover inside the building proved to be more difficult than Snake had expected; his body feeling as if it was on fire, and his quickly draining adrenaline being the only source of energy. Having managed to do so, he knew he was out of sight of the enemy combatants. Turning around, he watched as Devil Dog struggled to regain stability, its rotors splintering several trees as it glided through the square.

Dropping to his knees, and setting the girl in his arms down, Snake brought his hand to his radio…

"Pequod, get out of here! Clear the city and double back for me! I'll find a new LZ!"

"Boss?!"

"GO!"

"Roger… Boss."

Snake could hear the distress in Pequad's voice. It was better this way though; if Devil Dog got shot down, what hope did they have?

He watched as the helicopter ascended into the sky, before turning tail out of the city. The enemy kept firing until it could no longer be seen. When silence returned to the air, Snake lifted Quiet off the ground and began to limp away. It would only be a matter of minutes until the soldiers came searching for him.

With each pained step, he headed deeper into the heart of the city.

* * *

Snake grunted as he tightened his belt around his leg, cutting off circulation to the open wound. Shots to the shoulder were manageable, but he knew he would pass out from blood loss if his thigh went untreated. Next to him, a small fire crackled.

Examining his leg, Snake looked for an exit wound… there was none. Sighing in disappointment, he drew is knife. A flare of light glinted off of it as he held it close to his face.

Applying pressure to his thigh, Snake searched for the bullet; pushing and prodding his muscle with great torment until a hard metallic object was discovered. Breathing slowly to calm his racing heart, Snake lowered his knife to his leg. The sharp blade sliced through the skin and muscle easily, producing a wet spongy sound. Snake's vision flashed colors of red and orange as he pressed the blade deeper, stopping when his hand began to shake. A few labored breaths later, and he continued.

The knife scratched against the bullet when he found it. It was deeper than he had expected; any deeper and it would have been to far for his knife to reach. Getting the blade underneath the bullet was a difficult task, having to push it around within his leg, but ultimately he found it. With the bullet out of his thigh, Snake wiped the blade off on his fatigues before setting it down in the fire next to him; waiting as it heated the blade of the knife. Pulling it out, Snake examined the red hot blade emitting a faint glow.

 _Oh Shit…_

Unfortunately, the rebreather prevented him from putting anything in his mouth to bite down on.

 _Just don't bite your tongue off…_

Snake braced himself as he lowered the blade to the wound on his leg. He threw his head back against the wall when it made contact, his skin sizzling and bubbling as the hot blade cauterized the wound. He could feel himself blacking out…

"Fuck!" Snake cried out from the self-induced torture, throwing the knife across the room.

The muscle in his leg was throbbing from the intense pain, but the deed was done. Snake's breath had quickened, turning his attention outside in hopes that the silent city might calm his nerves.

All sense of time had been lost to him, his watch having been smashed and the endless haze in the sky covering the sun that prevented him from pinpointing how high it was. Snake reasoned several hours had to have at least past. Moving through the city was slow and treacherous on his bad leg, with the added danger of dodging enemy patrols. They had almost been caught simply entering the building.

Of course it was only a matter of time until the soldier found them. Snake wasn't fool enough to believe they would call off the search. Not just for him… but because of her.

Snake looked towards Quiet when she had crossed his mind. His heart still hurt, but knowing she was now safe comforted him a little.

He had laid her on the ground near the corner of the room, using his own jacket as a pillow. He noticed her eyes moving on several occasions as he rested her head, but she made no indication that she knew what was going on or who was even handling her. The jumpsuit she had been wearing was already tossed to the side, though Snake had little hope of her regenerative abilities healing her in such a poor condition. His eye trailed over her body as he sat quietly, lowering his head when he had seen enough.

Turning his attention back outside, Snake scanned the city. It was as dead as it had been when he arrived, undisturbed by all the conflict and turmoil. He respected that. How something could remain completely calm despite all the chaos. If he had any hope of getting out of this godforsaken place, he would have to muster that same courage… for her.

Looking over the deserted rooftops, only one object caught his attention.

"Devil Dog, how copy?"

A moment of static silence.

"Holy sh—… Boss? It's great to hear your voice. We've been circling the Cit—" Wire responded but was cut off by Snake.

"Yah, I get it. Listen closely, there is a ferris wheel just north of me with lots of open ground."

Static silence followed Snake's words.

"Yes… Pequod has got a visual." Wire responded after a moment.

"Good. I am going to make my way there. When I give the signal, bring Devil Dog in to pick us up."

"Roger that, Boss!"

Snake had only begun to push himself off the ground when the soldier came around the corner. The two locked eyes for a second, both surprised to have come across each other. Snake reached for his side arm but the mercenary fired first, uncontrolled bursts that ricocheted and splintered the wall behind Snake.

Snake raised his weapon and pulled the trigger, his round catching the soldier in the gut. He continued to spray bullets as he stumbled back through the doorway, collapsing to the floor. Surprised he had not been hit, Snake limped to the soldier as he squirmed and writhed around; his finger still gripping the trigger of an empty weapon.

Standing over him, Snake recognized the look in the man's eyes. The look of fear, death, and the fight to stay alive.

"Who do you work for?" Snake kneeled down close to the man.

"Go… to hell!" The man's words were gargled behind his mask. Snake knew this to be a symptom of blood filling the lungs.

"Don't make this unpleasant for yourself." Snake harshened his words as he tilted his head, making the shrapnel in his head much more defined to the dying soldier.

The soldier remained silent, pushing Snake further. Slowly, he placed the barrel of his pistol against the soldiers bullet wound, pressing down against it. The man cried out in pain…

"AGGG— Okay, Okay."

"Who?" Snake released the pressure.

"The Pentagon… I don't know any names!"

"That's not very specific." Snake pressed down on the wound again.

"AGGG— That's all I know… I SWEAR."

"Fine then…"

Snake rose to his feet, extending his weapon towards the soldiers head.

"NO—"

The gunshot echoed through the hallway, lingering in the air. Snake wiped away the blood that had splattered against his face, the man's uniform grabbing his attention when he opened his eye. A patch stitched to the right shoulder of his uniform that contained only three letters, though Snake did not know what they stood for.

 _D.I.A._

* * *

The ferris wheel was quite the monument, standing taller than any of the building around it in the center of the fairgrounds. Inspecting the surrounding area, Snake was pleased to discover his hunch had been right. There was plenty of space for Devil Dog to land, along with enough objects for him to take cover behind should the worst happen.

Setting Quiet down gently in the grass behind a concession stand, Snake walked out into the open, turning on his radio.

"Devil Dog… I'm in position."

"Roger that Boss." Pequod responded. "You know they're going to figure out your location pretty easily once we get close…"

"I'm expecting it…" Snake swung the assault rifle he had taken from the dead soldier off his back, loading a fresh magazine with satisfying crack.

It wouldn't be long now…

* * *

The rhythmic beat of helicopter rotors could be heard on the wind, but Devil Dog was not yet close enough to be in sight.

Snake crouched behind a section of a wooden fence, taking cover from a group of three mercenaries that had wandered onto the fairgrounds. He had hoped they would have passed by, but when one dashed in to take a leak, the rest followed. Instead of moving on, they wandered through the grounds, venturing closer to the ferris wheel and the stand he had hidden Quiet behind.

Snake huffed with disgruntled frustration. Discharging his weapon would bring anyone left in the city down upon him, but remaining hidden would lead to Quiets discovery. Both bad options… but one still better than the other.

Having made up his mind, Snake rose from his crouched position, revealing himself from behind the fence. The soldiers saw him immediately, but could do little in retaliation… surprised expressions having froze them in place.

Snake fired in controlled bursts towards the group, each of his rounds reaching their mark. The three men dropped to the ground, their blood filled cry's bouncing through the city as it mixed with the pops of machine gun fire. In an instant, the city came alive with an uproar of commotion. Snake reloaded his weapon, accepting that he had just kicked the hornets nest.

A row of vehicles barreled towards the fair grounds, stopping just short of entering the field. Out of each of the vehicles, stepped soldiers wearing full combat gear, black, and of the same design. There were more of them than Snake had remembered; watching from behind his cover. The man in the suit again emerged, pointing in the direction of the fair, but did not follow has the soldiers began moving across the field.

Snake looked to where he had laid Quiet in the grass, watching her as she remained motionless. A worried expression crossed his face, replaced by determination and a deep breath.

He stood up from behind the fence, resting his rifle against his shoulder as he lined his eye up with the sights; squeezing hard on the trigger until a stream of ammunition exited the barrel. Again, Snake had caught his enemy by surprise, managing to cut down several men before the group could return fire. And return fire they did…

Ducking behind the fence, automatic fire began tearing it apart. Losing his balance as the fence splintered around him, Snake moved for more adaptable cover. It was a concrete block, tall enough that he could stand behind, and thick enough to soak up the enemies bullets. Satisfied, Snake leaned out, firing several controlled bursts into the group of soldiers still caught out in the open field. He managed to tag one, but had to retreat behind his cover again when the enemy fire shifted directions.

Sparks and plumes of dust rained down on Snake has he hugged the concrete wall. When the fire subsided, he leaned out again. This time only firing briefly before being pushed behind cover again. Frustration began to boil in Snakes blood, realizing that if he did not get the upper hand it would be over before Pequod even arrived.

He needed to go bigger…

Snake hated grenades, but he pulled one from his belt anyway. Stepping away from the concrete wall he pulled the pin, letting the safety lever fly off with a metallic ping, blindly tossing the explosive into the air. The cries of terror told Snake he must have successfully landed it near a group of soldiers. The distracted cease-fire that followed gave him the opportunity to lean out again, firing into the enemies line.

The explosion kicked mud and dirt into the air, tossing several men across the field like rag dolls. The unlucky ones were torn apart by the shrapnel, collapsing in agonizing pain. Snake continued to fire into the group, his bullets impacting their bodies like a unsynchronized drum beat, until his magazine ran dry. Sliding back into cover, Snake released the magazine into the unshakeable hands of gravity, effortlessly sliding a fresh clip into his rifle. His last mag…

Peaking out from his cover, Snake surveyed the battlefield. The mercenary group had managed to move closer to the ferris wheel, finding cover behind fences and abandoned bumper cars. Several bullets clipped the concrete, whizzing next to Snake's head. He leaned out with his rifle in response, firing several rounds into the enemies cover.

 _Fuck!_

Low on ammo and heavily outnumbered, Snake could feel the tingling sinking sensation in his chest as the situation quickly spiraling out of control. Leaning out again, he fired another controlled burst, jolting back into cover when he felt the sting of a round grazing his shoulder. The bullet had only take a layer of skin off, but served as a well enough warning that the enemy had the upper hand.

Snake hugged the wall close, closing his eye in meditation to calm his nerves. In that moment of silence he heard what he had been longing for…

Devil Dog crested over the rooftops, its mini-gun spraying fire into the surprised soldiers; the sounds of battle having muffled its approach.

"Move your Ass, Boss… we're coming in hot!"

Devil Dog arched its way around the fair, gliding hard towards the ground. Breaking from cover, Snake unloaded the rest of his magazine into the distracted soldiers before tossing the weapon to the ground. As the dust cleared around him, he managed one last glance towards the man wearing the black suit and tie. Their eye's met, each one telling the other… 'we'll meet again'.

Returning to Quiet, Snake scooped her back into his arms, flinching when several rounds splintered against the wood nearby. Devil Dog thundered overhead, close enough that the wind from its rotors almost pushed Snake to the ground though this time he remained unshakable. A never ending stream of fire spat out of the mini-gun, its barrel glowing red hot like a sword pulled fresh from the forge. The helicopter began its descent, lowering its ramp in the rear. Snake watched as Wrench walked down it, wearing full combat fatigues, jumping from the helicopter before it had even touched down.

She landed heavily in the mud and dirt, moving as if her prosthetic leg was of no hindrance to her. A smile crossed her face as she raised her rifle against her shoulder, firing on the enemies position.

"Boss, I got you covered! Get to the chopper!"

Devil Dog touched down a short distance away. Doc stood out on the ramp, motioning them forward with the wave of his hand. Adjusting the weight of the girl in his arms, Snake ran for the helicopter. Each step was accompanied with the throbbing ache in his muscles, but he pushed through it, gritting his teeth and finding what adrenaline he had left. Wrench followed behind, firing from her rifle.

The cabin rattled and echoed with the sounds of bullets ricocheting off of its steel surface, but Snake had never felt so much relief stepping inside of it. Battered and bruised, but the mission was complete.

"GO, GO!" Wrench remained standing on the ramp, firing her weapon.

Devil Dog jerked as it began rising into the air. Snake looked towards Wrench who had ceased fire and began walking up the ramp, chuckling to herself. Snake didn't need to see her smile behind her rebreather, he knew it was there; he had one as well.

A spark…

A loud pop…

Crimson red splattered across the cabin walls…

Snake's breath hitched as he watched her eyes fill with blood. Collapsing to the ground, Wrench rolled down the ramp and plummeted towards the earth below.

"NOOOO…!"

It had happened so fast….

* * *

 **Devil Dog  
** **En Route to Mother Base  
** **0430 Hours**

It was still dark outside when the rumble of the helicopters glide rocked Snake awake. He didn't mind, it had been a restless night anyway. Thoughts of Wrench crossed his mind, but he pushed them away. He had already dealt with so much in the past 24 hours, thoughts of another lost life were too much to bear. _You can't grow attachments with your men_ he always told himself. War is war, and people die. She would be mourned when they returned to base.

But this wasn't the case for the girl laying next to him. Looking over, Snake stared at Quiet's motionless form on the medical cot. He blinked when he noticed her hand cupped within his own, having forgot that he had fallen asleep caressing her soft fingers.

 _I don't understand these feelings. You're an assassin… sent to kill me. I am a broken man… just trying to find my place in this world. Why do you haunt my dreams at night?!_

Snake searched his mind desperately for an answer, but none could be found. It didn't matter. Leaning back in his seat, holding her hand in his own, he decided he didn't need one… he was happy with these feelings.

He was happy she was finally safe. He could take care of her now.

Devil Dog carried itself on the wind through the crisp and clear night. The rains had stopped, leaving everything clean and new, sparkling in the moon's blue light.

(-)

"Over here! We found her!"

The man in the suit stepped out of his car, happy that the body had been discovered but frustrated that he was getting his shoes muddy.

His men stood in a circle as he walked towards them, looking over their shoulders at the lifeless figure embedded with in the dirt. His lips curled upwards when he saw the patch she wore.

 _Diamond Dogs…_

"What are your orders, Major Ames?"

Reaching down, the man in the suit tore the Diamond Dogs patch from the woman's arm; holding it up to his face. A beautiful diamond had been embedded near the bottom of it, glinting a small ray of light. The man finally spoke, his words cracking through the rebreather…

"Inform The Patriots… we found him."


	9. Days Gone Bye

.

.

.

* * *

 **Chapter IX**  
 _Days Gone Bye_

* * *

 **Devil Dog**  
 **En Route to Mother Base**  
 **1200 Hours**

"Tower, this is Devil Dog… requesting permission to land on Hanger 11. ETA… 20 minuets."

"Errr… Ummm… request received Devil Dog. Please stand-by for confirmation."

"Roger that Tower."

Snake sat silently in his seat as Devil Dog glided hard over the Arabian Sea, listening to the rumble of the engines and the crack of the air as the helicopter cut through it. Next to him, Quiet lay on the cot, her body shifting slightly with the gravitational motion.

"Fascinating."

Snake looked up towards Doc who had spent the better part of the morning standing over the girl, studying the marks across her body whilst taking several tissue samples. Personally, Snake thought he should have finished several hours ago, yet he continued. By this point, he had nothing better to do than shine a bright light into her almost lifeless eyes.

"She seems to be in some sort of… Self-induced coma." Doc continued. "I've never seen anything like this. If I had to guess… perhaps her body shut itself down after reaching… Oh, I don't know, once it couldn't take any more pain."

Snake looked away from the man with a grunt. He didn't want to think about the pain she must have gone through the past two years.

The crew remained silent for several minutes, with only the hum of the helicopters rotors to ease the tension. Every once in a while, turbulent winds would break against the chopper, creating the sensation of almost weightlessness, as the gravity in the cabin adjusted.

"Poor kid…"

Snake looked towards Doc again, before following his line of sight to Wire. The boy of only 22 sat in one of the chairs along the wall, bowed over with his head in his arms, resting on his knees.

"He seem's to be taking Wrench's de—… He's taking it real hard."

Snake listened to Doc but did not look towards him as he spoke, keeping his eye on the boy.

 _Death is a part of war. He's going to have to accept that…_

* * *

Mother Base was like an emerald jewel standing proud amongst a sea of blue as it appeared on the horizon. Looking through the cockpit window, Snake noticed an increased amount of construction tape across the decks. Several containers appeared to have been burst open as well. Damage from the monsoon storm several days ago, no doubt.

"Tower, this is Devil Dog… again, we are requesting permission to land on Hanger 11. Please confirm."

The static silence that followed raised Snakes suspicions. Diamond Dogs had never been so… _disorganized_ when it came to the Boss' personal transportation.

 _"Devil Dog, this Tower… your request is denied. You are under orders to redirect your flight path 50 miles out from Mother Base and hold position."_

"The' hell?" Pequod looked over his shoulder, giving a confused glance towards Snake.

"Stay on course." Snake placed a hand on his pilot's shoulder, speaking low enough that it was almost a whisper.

Pequod nodded in response.

Snake kept his eye on Mother Base as they approached, watching as his men hastily scurried across the decks. The faint siren of an alarm was present even within the cabin of the helicopter, beating lightly against his ear drum. His interest increased, though concern began to cloud his thoughts.

"Boss!" Miller's voice cracked angrily in Snake's earpiece. Reaching for his iDroid, he turned the two-way radio on.

"Kaz, what the hell's going on?"

"I'm sorry Boss, but I told you I was putting my foot down on this matter!"

"Start explaining, Kaz."

"I know who you have on board, Ocelot told me everything. Your bringing HER back!"

Snake glanced towards Quiet's motionless form. Somehow he wasn't surprised this was what the trouble was about.

"Boss…" Miller spoke up again. "I will not allow that Cipher BITCH to step foot on Mother Base. Not this time! Not under these circumstances!"

"Kaz lis—"

"NO, you listen!" Snake was taken back by his friends' sudden boldness but did not protest, allowing him his opinion. "It was different back then… but if she is truly alive, then she still carries the English strain of the Vocal Cord parasite. We have men, women, and children here; many who have not undergone the Wolbachia treatment. If you bring her aboard… you will doom us all."

Snake looked towards Quiet again; taking in the details of her scars and lacerations… the stitching that held her lips tightly closed. He hadn't considered…, placing his hand on his throat.

"Boss, if you bring that woman aboard… I will be forced to kill her. Please, do the right thing… for me… for your men."

Snake lowered his eye to the ground, considering his friend's words. Devil Dog's crew sat around him, their eye's focused on their Boss as if waiting for an answer. _Had they heard the conversation… impossible. It doesn't matter…_ Snake looked towards the girl laying next to him as he made up his mind.

"Kaz… I am."

Snake switched his radio off before Miller could reply. Leaning down, he gently picked up Quiet in his arms before walking to the rear of the helicopter.

"Open it."

Wasp complied with his Boss' orders without hesitation, reaching for the ramp switch. The cabin lit up a deep red as the ramp hydraulics hissed, depressurizing the small space. Snake stood still as a gust of salty wind circled him. Mother Base passed by below, a distinct siren sounding across each of its decks.

A rather large group had gathered on Hanger 11 as Devil Dog approached. Snake recognized Ocelot, Code Talker, and several dozen Diamond Dog soldiers wearing combat gear, their weapons held at the ready. Standing front and center was Miller, a scowl visible across his lips.

"Boss! Your making a mistake!" Miller cried out, the wind carrying his voice to Snake's ear.

Devil Dog landed on the deck with a heavy thud, shaking and rattling. Snake narrowed his brow as he slowly moved down the ramp, his eye meeting Miller's. He recognized the reddening of his face, the tightening of his lips, the tensing of his muscles… his gaze bouncing between him and the girl in his arms.

In an instant, Miller's anger reached the boiling point as he dropped his cane, grabbing a sidearm from one of the soldiers standing next to him. An ensemble of surprised gasps cracked on the wind, but Snake didn't flinch as he stared down the barrel of the weapon raised in his direction.

"Miller!" Ocelot broke from the crowd, his hand gripping Miller's shoulder like an eagle's talon.

"Stay out of this!" Miller shook Ocelot's hand off his shoulder, not removing his eyes from Snake.

The soldiers around them shared concerned glances between one another, unsure of who to stand with. Whispers began to echo on the wind as the silent tension increasingly grew uncomfortable.

Snake spoke no words as he stepped close to his friend, narrowing his eye as he stared him down...testing his resolve... waiting for his next move. A beat of sweat formed on Miller's forehead as he shifted the weapon to the girl in Snake's arms, his finger slowly applying pressure to the trigger. A light rattling sound hit Snake's ears, his expressionless face watching as the weapon in Miller's hand began to shake; his lips quivering as they began to curl in on each other, his eye's burning through the reflective gloss of his aviators as drops of sweat glazed over them.

Kaz lowered his head, dropping the weapon to the deck with a heavy sigh of defeat. Ocelot reached down, grabbing the pistol quickly before he could change his mind. Snake did not look towards his friend as he walked past him, the Diamond Dog soldiers parting like the Red Sea as he carried the girl in his arms towards the Medical Deck.

"Snake…"

He stopped, turning his head slightly towards his friend.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

 _I hope so too..._

Snake continued through the crowd, not verbalizing his response.

* * *

 **Mother Base, Medical Platform  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **1300 Hours**

The Medical Deck was one of the few platforms that had exterior windows in the rooms, allowing rays of natural light to fill each patient's room during the day and the cool hue of blue during the night. Miller had called it a much more 'relaxed atmosphere', compared to the bright florescent bulbs used elsewhere in Mother Base. Snake enjoyed it particularly because he could open the windows, replacing the creeks and rattle of the steel walls with the relaxing back-n-forth of the waves outside. The refreshing ocean breeze was also much more pleasant than the stale air produced from the AC vents.

Quiet lay peacefully on the cushioned bed, Snake sitting close by. The doctors had insisted she be hooked up to life support but he had talked them out of it, considering her lack of functioning organs anyway. They had left some time ago, though, leaving just the two of them alone in the warm room. Snake hadn't taken his eye off of her, sitting silently in his chair. A thought crossed his mind as he stood up, walking towards her. Reaching for a pair of scissors, which he found much too small for his firm hand, he leaned over her. Slowly, he inched closer to the stitching that had been applied to her lips.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Snake turned quickly, wondering how the old man had managed to enter the room without him noticing. Looking back towards Quiet, he pulled the scissors away.

"I had hoped my theory would be right…" Code Talker wheeled himself into the room, stopping when he was next to Snake and the bed. "But I didn't expect this."

The old man lifted a finger, pointing at the scars and sores across her body. Following them as if he were connecting the dots.

"You see… 'The One That Covers' is doing its job, but it is losing. This crack here…" The old man ran his finger along a deep cut like laceration that traveled up the inside of her thigh. "You can see where the epidermis is falling apart."

"I don't understand." Snake spoke softly but did not look towards Code Talker.

"When you first came to me... regarding her survival, I theorized that... 'The One That Covers' would fight to keep her alive… looking at her now, I know... that is no longer a theory. The Vocal Cord parasite still resides within her,... slowly destroying her body." The old man pointed to her lips. "That is why... you can not yet cut the stitching. To do so would release the parasite... into the air,... threatening your men."

Snake sighed as he lowered his head. He didn't want to admit that, in some capacity, Kaz had been right.

"What can I do?" His words came from under his breath. Without parasites of his own, the old man may not have have heard. But he did, adjusting his direction to face Snake…

"I don't know yet..."

Snake turned his head, locking his eye with Code Talkers. They shared glances in silence for only a moment before the old man turned and wheeled out of the room. Snake lowered his head again, leaning over the bed as the squeak of Code Talker's chair disappeared in the distance.

The silence, for once, was uncomfortable. Snake found himself lightly humming a familiar tune to ease his weary thoughts.

* * *

The days that followed passed slowly; the seconds, minutes, and hours feeling as if they had grinded to a crawl. Snake had completely removed himself from the time of day, become a phantom to his men, spending the passing hours soli between his private quarters and Quiets medical room. Even the doctors had grown accustomed to his schedule, leaving him alone with her whenever he entered. They didn't know what he did when he was alone… and they never asked.

Of course, he liked it that way, had anyone known what he was doing… they might have called it a weakness.

Snake pulled up a chair close to her bed before sitting down. As if it had become a ritual, he lightly took her hand in his own and softly hummed. The tune was recognizable, having once been a signal of death; but now…

 _It was a soft lullaby._

* * *

Miller had removed himself from public sight equally as much upon Quiets return; spending his time in the command center, staring out at the sunrise and sunset from the grand wall of windows that circle half of the room.

It was on one of these occasions that Snake joined him, walking up next to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. The sun was setting on the horizon, with rays of orange light that streamed blindingly through the window. Supporting his cane between his arm, Miller reached for his aviators with an unsteady hand, shaking slightly as he removed them from his face. Hidden behind his shades were his milky white eyes, enlarged and dilated as the light entered them.

"The brightness… the burn in my eye's… it reminds me that I'm still alive."

Snake remained silent as his friend spoke softly.

"The phantom pain… I can still feel it. It follows me during the day, and haunts me at night."

Snake averted his gaze from the light on the horizon, turning towards Miller, as his friend spoke. The hand he had placed on his shoulder tightened ever so slightly, as to remind his friend that he was still standing with him.

"I can stand here, gazing into the sun, and feel real… raw pain." Miller took his eye's off of the horizon, shifting to meet Snake's sight. "Do you know what it's like to live every day feeling broken? Empty inside? Like your missing a part of yourself."

"Yes… but I didn't realize it until…" Snake spoke softly, his words trailing off as his thoughts turned to Quiet.

"Until… she came back." Miller finished Snake's sentence, turning back towards the horizon as the sun began to sink below the endless ocean.

When the sun had disappeared, Miller returned his aviators to their rightful place. Releasing his shoulder, Snake watched as his friend turned and began to slowly limp away. He had hoped for a more positive conversation, but he could still sense the bitterness dripping from Miller's tongue. _Another time them…_

* * *

Several weeks had now passed since Snake brought the sniper back, and Mother Base was returning to normal operations. Jobs were easily come by, and the Diamond Dogs continued to grow. Miller continued to display signs of displeasure, but easily hid them behind the overwhelming joy he got out of commanding one of the largest private militaries in the known world. Over time, Snake had also begun to return to field work. He still visited her, of course, but being out on a mission gave him something to focus on; something to take his mind off of her.

Code Talker worked tirelessly in his lab, but fruitless attempts at a cure to the English strain had made him a very grouchy old man. Some time ago, when Snake had returned from Shotmaker's Black Site with several dozen infected patients, he had believed he was on to something; though in the end, they suffered endlessly until their ultimate demise. Diamond Dogs had held a memorial ceremony for them, but the old man did not attend. He couldn't bear the thought of having failed to find a cure in time.

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **0700 Hours**

 **Two Months after Quiets Return**

The rising sun on the horizon was warm and comforting, signaling the end of the cold season as the year began to come to a close. Regardless, a cool breeze still swept across the oceans surface, tightening Snake's muscles as it broke against him.

Standing on the deck, watching the birth of a new day, Snake sipped on a freshly made cup of coffee. He smiled as the warm liquid entered his body, energizing and rejuvenating his stiff muscles.

He turned his head when he felt the sensation of a hand being placed on his shoulder. It was Ocelot, who walked up to stand next to him.

"Just got out of a meeting with Miller." Ocelot looked towards the rising sun as he spoke, simply receiving a grunting response from Snake. "He says you're going soft…"

Snake glanced at the cowboy for only a brief second before returning to the horizon.

"Boss…" Ocelot turned his head to Snake, a concerned look accompanying his words. "If the old man can't come up with a cure… somethings going to have to be done. Miller's acceptance of her hinges on whether she is a threat or not. Without a cure to the engl—"

"I know!" Snake snapped with a hiss, cutting Ocelot off.

Sighing, the cowboy returned his attention to the sparkling ocean. They stood in silence.

"I think…" Ocelot continued, changing the conversation. "When the year ends, I'm going to make a New Years Resolution in studying the art of shooting 'things' with my fingers."

As he spoke, the cowboy raised his right hand; extending his pointer and middle finger like they were the barrel of a gun, and his thumb acting as the hammer.

"Bam!" He flicked his thumb forward, popping his hand upwards as he pretended to shoot.

"What?" A confused expression crossed Snake's face, though it was mixed with a humorous smile.

"No, seriously, I could own the whole goddamn system."

The two men shared a laugh before returning their attention to the horizon and sinking back into silence. The stayed like this, enjoying the warming rays of the sun, for several minutes before Ocelot brought his hand to the radio in his ear.

"Say again?" Snake watched as his blissful expression turned brooding. "Shit!"

"Everything okay?" Snake spoke calmly though he could sense something was up.

Ocelot stayed in thoughtful silence for a moment, his eyes as wide as if he had seen a ghost. Blinking, he looked towards Snake…

"She's awake…"

* * *

Whatever Snake had hoped for walking into Quiet's room, it was not what he witnessed. Stepping through the door, he was greeted with the frenzied panic of doctors and nurses calling out at each other and moving around hastily. At the center of the commotion, Quiet lay on a blood-soaked cot, her muscles twitching and writhing violently. Several nurses stood by her, holding her arms down to prevent her from throwing herself off the bed. Her head shook and turned quickly, pressed against the pillow. Amongst all the commotion, Snake could swear he heard muffled screams as if she was trying to cry out through her closed mouth.

"What happened?!" Ocelot stepped through the door, pushing Snake to the side as he merged himself with the frenzied group.

"Her brain activity just suddenly spiked." One of the doctors gave a concerned reply. "Next thing I know, she's having a seizure."

"Doctor, I have the relaxant you asked for." A nurse appeared in the doorway behind Snake, a glass vial in her hand.

"No!" Ocelot snapped in response. "You need to let her ride through it."

Snake was beginning to feel helpless, just standing there, watching as she jerked uncontrollably on her bed. Watching as the cracks and sores across her body opened up, spilling fresh blood to the cold floor below. Watching as the doctors and nurses were useless in releasing the pain. Closing his eye, Snake breathed deeply in an attempt to reduce his vexation. It was of little use. Clenching his fist, he wanted to punch the wall but knew better than to make a scene. Storming out of the room, he could only think of one place to go…

He had to see the old man.

* * *

Whatever organization he had possessed in the past, had been thrown out the window as the days turned into weeks. Code Talker's lab had turned into a mess of notes and research papers scattered about, amongst a collection of various lab equipment and other items. The old man lamented the thought of his lab being in such disarray, but the work was important and he could make sacrifices.

Stepping into the room, Snake was not surprised when he was instantly greeted by the old man, having grown used to his ability to sense when he was coming.

"Code Talker…" Snake entered the room slowly, his eye roaming around the cluttered space.

"Boss, I trust you are here about my research." The old man watched as Snake paced around the room.

"I need the cure." Snake gave a quick glance towards Code Talker before turning his attention to a dusty book that sat in front of him.

"I am sorry… but I have none."

Snake did not look up as he thumbed through the pages, a plume of dust kicking up with each flick of his thumb. Code Talker watched him somberly for a moment before lowering his head to his notes.

"Please don't throw my book." Code Talker did not look up as he spoke.

Snake shifted his gaze towards the old man, raising an eyebrow before noticing his prosthetic hand was in fact clenched tightly shut.

"My parasite… it can sense your anger… your frustration. You want to save her but don't know how." Code Talker backed away from the table, looking up at Snake who had closed the book with an exasperated sigh.

"There must be something." Snake continued pacing the room, making his way around the table.

"I have… another theory."

"Why didn't you tell me…" Snake's frustrated words rolled off his tongue with a deep rumble.

"You asked simply for a cure… of which I do not have."

Code Talker didn't flinch as Snake slammed his prosthetic hand against the table, sending a large crack through it that extended its length.

"I don't have time for your riddles, old man! I need… results" Snake choked on his words as he glared at Code Talker.

The old man simply bowed his head, exhaling a smooth whistle as he pushed a leather journal across the table. Curious, Snake stepped towards it. His eye grazed over each line, but he could not understand the scribbled words and randomly placed equations. Code Talker recognized his confused expressions, settling in his chair as he spoke slowly…

"'The One That Covers', and the Vocal Cord parasite… used to live in harmony with-in the girl… but now… they destroy each other in an attempt for dominance… her survival depends on you… ensuring 'The One That Covers' is the strongest."

"How?" Snake looked up from the journal.

"You need an unmodified sample of the parasite… pure and undamaged. There is a place, though it will be dangerous…"

The old man leaned forward in his chair, his unseeing eye's staring lifelessly into Snakes…

"You must find, and harvest a sample… from The Skulls."


	10. Reminiscence

.

.

.

* * *

 **Chapter X  
** _Reminiscence_

* * *

"Annabelle…"

 _Who calls for me?_

"Wake up Annabelle…"

 _Where am I?_

"Sweety, you don't want to be late for class…"

 _Mom?_

The girls eye's fluttered open, the light of day greeting her with the sight of a warm, comforting smile. The woman standing over her appeared middle-aged but had features that resembled her own… soft as velvet and smooth as silk.

"Come, Annabelle, you will be late for class." The woman smiled as she stood up, motioning towards the door.

"Yes, I'm getting up." The girl replied, her voice accented and sweet like candy.

The woman nodded her head before walking towards the door, disappearing around the corner. The girl remained in her bed, for a moment more, scanning the room as her eye's adjusted to the rays of the bright morning light. It was just as she had left it the night before… messy.

Heeding her mother's words, she was ready to get up, attempting to swing her leg's around the edge of the bed… but they did not move.

Again…

Still, they would not follow her command…

She could feel them, lying there on the sheets, but her muscles made no attempt to breathe life into them. She could move her head and her arm's, but her body would remain unresponsive as if there was a greater force holding her down.

A thunderous roar vibrated the walls around her, sending cracks through them that collapsed into ash. What had once been a bright, vibrant room was transformed into a bleak and damp dungeon; with steel walls that towered into oblivion as rusty chains hung down like a web of fingers reaching out to grab her.

Horrified, she held her hands close to her face as if to hide from the nightmare that was unraveling in front of her, but the sight of her own fingers was even more horrific than what she had witnessed moments before. She watched, helpless, as her skin cracked and bubbled, sizzling away as if she was on fire… yet she felt no pain, and could see no flame. The desire to scream was monumental, but there was no air behind her tongue.

"You're awake… good…"

The voice came from the shadows; all of them as it echoed around the steel walls of the room. It was deep and menacing, but its tone conveyed no malice. When she saw the speaker of the words, he was framed in the doorway; shadowed by a light behind him, as if he was standing on the edge of light and dark. As he grew closer, he revealed himself to her.

She stared terrified at the man without a face, his skin grayed and scarred beyond repair.

 _Skull Face…_

She had heard the name amongst rumors and whispers, but had never seen him in her time with XOF.

 _XOF…_

Like the opening of flood gates, memories of herself before this point came rushing back to her thoughts. Her job. Her mission. Her failure. Her… death! The pain was real now, she could feel it. Looking at her hand's again, she was helpless as the fire melted her skin, peeling it away from her bones. Still, she could not scream…

"Child, why do you worry. You are not dead, but far from it."

She looked at the man as he spoke.

"I have given you a new life, a new body… and all that I ask in return is that you destroy the man that will stand in my way."

 _A new body?!_

The girl raised her hand's again. They were perfect, undamaged, and as soft as… velvet. She wished to thank him, but the man placed a finger on her lip's before she could speak, leaning towards her as he spoke slowly…

"There is… one condition to my generosity. You mustn't speak to anyone, ever. To utter a single word of your native tongue will destroy this gift I have given you. To that end, from henceforth, you shall simply be known… as 'Quiet'."

The man stretched his arm out when he finished speaking, holding his hand open in front of her. If she had any other choices, she couldn't see them. To accept his hand now would open a new life for her, to decline would return her to a fate that had already been decided. She clasped his hand with her own, making up her mind.

A smile crossed the man's scarred face as he pulled her up from the bed…

Light enveloped them, blinding her as if she had instantly woken up under the sun. The walls around them were gone, and the bed had disappeared. Scanning the scenery, she recognized where they now stood.

 _Afghanistan…_

"This is where you made your next stand." The man spoke to her, pointing atop a crumbling archway that rose high over the landscape. "See, there you are. Waiting for your target… for the perfect shot."

It was like staring into the reflection of a mirror, watching herself perched on one of the archways, weapon at the ready. It was her, in body and ability, but not of mind. There was something wrong about her… something that she could not yet put her finger on, as if the woman on the arch carried different thoughts… a different purpose than what she believed now. Looking back at the man, he had turned his attention to the road in the distance.

"Here he comes…" He spoke. "Your target… the man that destroyed your past life… the man that will end me should you fail."

The figure came into view on the horizon, riding an ashen white horse. He was heavily built, with muscles that stood defined even behind his olive colored fatigues. His hair was long and brittle from the dry heat, but it was tastefully tied back into a ponytail that suited him well. His eye was sparkling blue, like that of a crystal refracting light that bounced off of it. She could feel her head growing dizzy as she stared into it. But he was not without imperfection. His face was riddled with deep scars, not as severe as the man she stood with, but to be carried for the rest of his life regardless. More noticeable was the eyepatch he sported on the right side of his face, covering what she presumed was a bad eye. Lastly, she noticed his most unnatural feature… it was like a horn sticking out at an angle in his head, black as the empty void of space. She had never seen anything like it. The only word that could describe it… would be demonic.

The crack of a sniper rifle broke the silence. The man with the horn took cover. Another shot, and another miss.

"To give away your position was your first mistake. How did you miss?" The scarred man spoke, watching as the two engaged in battle.

"I was distracted…" Her accented words cracked from behind her tongue softly, remembering the events that unfolded in front of her. "The man… I did not expect such a dramatic change since the last time I saw him… since the hospital. He was… magnificent."

The battle ended as soon as it had begun, the sniper defeated and on the brink of death as she stumbled to the stone ground. The girl watched as the man with the horn stood triumphant over his enemy, drawing his pistol and aiming it towards her head. He did not shoot…

"Do it… do it now… end it!" The scarred man's whispered words hiss through is teeth, as if he was speaking to the man with the horn; or perhaps… the defeated sniper, who began to draw her own weapon and weakly raise it to her temple before being forcefully taken by the man standing over her.

"That was the beginning of the end… for both of us." The scarred man looked towards the girl as he spoke. "His act of mercy… right in that moment… is what changed everything."

There was a long pause as the scarred man turned away from the girl; the Afghan fields beginning to collapse around them. What had moments ago seemed so real, drifted away like a distant memory. The scarred man turned back to the girl…

"You could have escaped… but you didn't."

In an instant, the two found themselves standing inside the cabin of a helicopter, the hum of the engine deafening the girls ear's. Looking around, she noticed the man with the horn sitting somberly in his seat, not but several feet from her. He did not see her, nor the scarred man she stood with.

The sound of a high pitched beep echoing through the cabin caught the man's attention, jolting from his seat as radio chatter crackled through the static.

"Confirm, one bogey on our six, steady at point four miles." The girl could sense concern behind the pilots word's. "It's tailing us…"

"Don't lead it back to Mother Base." Another voice cracked through the console radio.

"Roger. We'll shake it off." The girl could admire the pilots dedication, but she couldn't help but wonder how a helicopter had any hope of outmaneuvering a fighter jet.

Regardless of the danger, the pilot hit the stick hard to the right, turning the chopper sharply. The girl looked towards the scarred man as her body shifted with the g-forces of the quick change in direction. His only response was to curl his lips up into a sharp smile…

The rattle of a chain gun confirmed everyone's fear that the fighter jet was not simply trying to tail the helicopter, as rounds splashed into the waters surface and ricocheted against the chopper's armor. The attack was not fatal, however, as the jet roared overhead, banking quickly to come around again. Keeping his eye on it, the man with the horn shifted his position to the door of the helicopter, a concerned expression plastered across his face. The girl hadn't seen weakness in him before… but here… she recognized the look of helpless fear. The same expression he had given her in the hospital…

"INCOMING!"

A flash of light flared from the fighter jet as it lined up again with the helicopter, launching a heat seeking rocket into the air. The man with the horn slid the door open as the missile quickly approached them, leaving a trail of white smoke that plumed behind it. The dreadful whizzing sound the rocket made as it pierced the air grew louder as it grew closer to impact.

The helicopters countermeasures kicked in with seconds to spare as a stream of flairs rained down to the ocean's surface, jettisoning from the chopper with a loud pop. The missile veered off course, following the heat of the flairs away from the chopper. The cabin shook violently as the fighter jet passed overhead. The man with the horn adjusted himself to the opposite door, sliding it open as he watched the jet bank towards them again.

"ANOTHER ONE!"

A flash of light, followed by a trail of white smoke, as another rocket launched from the jet. Again, hot flairs popped from the helicopter as its countermeasures kicked in, but the rocket did not deviate course.

"Shit. It's an LGM! Hold on!"

The helicopter rocked violently as the pilot began attempting dodging maneuvers, knocking the man with the horn off balance before he could reach for the choppers mini gun. The girl watched as he frantically got back to he feet, the rocket inching closer with each passing second. For a brief moment, she thought he might have gained control, but his grip was torn from the gun as the chopper jerked to the side again, sending him to floor with a hard thud.

It was all over…

She could see the realization on the man's face as he watched the mini gun swing out of position. Even if he managed to return to his feet, there would be no more time. The rocket was about to send them all plummeting towards the sea.

 _Why would he bring me here?_

The girl looked towards the scarred man, but his eye's remained fixed on the approaching rocket.

 _You could have escaped… but you didn't._

His words rang through her head as if they were on repeat.

 _I WAS HERE! I WAS THE REASON…_

She had barely just remembered the events of that day before a figure appeared before them. It was herself, clutching the mini gun tightly as it screamed to life. The cabin rattled as shrapnel splintered against it, the rocket having been destroyed. The man with the horn, still on the ground, looked towards the girl that had materialized moments before… shock and surprise clear across his face.

"After your defeat… that fighter jet was sent in to finish the job." The scarred man spoke, drawing the attention of the girl that stood next to him. "In a blatant act of betrayal, you shot it down. Why?"

The crack of a rifle grabbed the girls attention, turning just quick enough to watch as the jet dipped below the helicopter, crashing into the ocean.

"Why?" The scarred man hissed again but the girl did not look towards him, keeping her eye on the man with the horn.

"It would have killed me as well…" She finally spoke, her words soft and unsure of themselves.

"If you still believed in our cause, you would have willingly gone down with this helicopter… there was another reason."

"If there was another… I don't know…"

"You will."

The dry air was moistened by the dew of a heavy fog as the hum of the helicopter faded away with the gentle patter of rain. The girl looked around her new surroundings, recognizing the make-up of Mother Base and the platforms that stretched out before her.

"What are you showing me now?" She questioned, looking towards the scarred man.

He made no response with words, stretching the palm of his hand out to the side. The girl shifted her eye's in the direction he pointed, stopping when she noticed a girl in the distance, playfully dancing in the rain. It was herself again, recognizing the figure instantly. Another approached, the man with the horn. Tears swelled in the girls eye's as she watched to two begin to splash each other playfully, but the drops of rain hid them as they trailed down her face.

Turning away, she could no longer face what had once been.

"What's the point? He was there… I had a moment of happiness!"

Mother Base, the rain, the two falling into each others arms… it all faded away, leaving the girl and the scarred man alone within an empty void. There was no up or down… right or left; they simply… were.

The scarred man remained silent, looking disappointedly towards the girl that could no longer hide the tears streaming down her cheek's.

"You had more than just happiness." He finally spoke. "Everything I showed you before… it was building up to this moment… the moment you made your final decision."

The girl closed her eye's, lowering her head as she realized what he had been getting at.

"That I loved… him" Her voice cracked softly as she spoke.

The two stood in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time, though she could not tell how long, the void they inhabited was endless.

"What was the point? Of any of it?" The girl finally spoke up, looking towards the scarred man. "Bringing me back to life? Infecting me with your parasite?"

The scarred man glared towards the girl before his expression softened. Sighing, he slowly removed his hat, revealing his bald and mangled features. Though there was nothing behind him, he sat regardless, appearing as if he was floating in thin air.

"Annabelle, my child, you were nothing more than an… experiment gone rogue. I infected you with the English strain of the Vocal Cord parasite to test how it would interact with a human subject. Before, when my friend Zero was in control of Cipher, the Vocal Cord experiment had been created to target every language except English as a deterrent more potent than nuclear weapons; I had to start from scratch. You understand? You were just a test… a successful one if it makes you feel any better."

The scarred man's words were like a knife to her chest, forcing her to her knees as her energy drained away.

"But… you used me… I thought I was your agent?"

"A convenient cover. With the experiment complete, I needed you disposed off… too dangerous to have an active subject out in the field, but… I also need the threat of Big Boss taken care off. Had everything gone to plan, I would have gotten both of my desires. Of course, there was only one thing I had not considered…"

The girl had no response, still digesting the words the scarred man had spoken. To her surprise, he placed a dry hand on her shoulder, staring down with frustration visible behind his eye's.

"… That you might fall in love with him. The man that killed you. I had hoped that even after your betrayal of me, the Vocal Cord parasite would be my final insurance. I must commend you though… leaving him like you did, in order to protect him."

"I loved…"

Like the vanishing of snow against a warm ground, the man with the scarred face was gone. The girl was alone, helpless, sitting on her knees. Her thoughts wondered, but there was nothing to distract the throbbing ache within her mind. She wanted to scream, but there was nothing to cry to.

"Quiet…"

The voice surprised her, coming from behind. Turning quickly, she locked eye's with a man she had not expected to see. He was recognizable immediately.

"Snake…?" Her voice was soft, exhaled like a depressed whisper. She wondered if he could have even heard her.

"I know what you are thinking…" His tongue was deep and gravely, but the tone of his words was far from brooding, carrying concern and kindness. "Your life… it was not meaningless. It meant something to me… YOU, meant something to me."

She didn't know whether to cry or smile, perhaps both. Standing up, she could feel her body shaking as the man with the horn approached her. He crossed the empty void between them slowly, each step sending shivers down her spine. She could not explain the excitement she felt, but also worry…

 _Wasn't all of this a dream? It can't be real!_

In the end, it didn't matter. For once, in a long time, she felt at peace… happy.

The man with the horn stopped when he was but a foot from her, raising his arm to rest her cheek against the palm of his hand. The girl closed her eye's, cooing softly as she nuzzled his rough but warm hand. It felt nice…

"Please…" The man with the horn spoke up again. The tone of his voice was softer this time; calmer and more comforting. "Come back to me."

Everything disappeared…

The girls eye's shot open, blinded at first by the intense saturation of colors and lights. In short time, they adjusted to her surroundings, allowing her to look around at the shocked faces that hovered over her, as if she was some type of side show.

 _Where am I?_

She recognized none of the faces that had begun to make her feel increasingly claustrophobic, causing her to wonder what had become of her. She might have even panicked had one recognizable face not appeared from behind the rest.

She stared at him, as he stared right back… a smile crossing his lips.


	11. Awakening

Two years ago, the Devil's House had been laid to waste by the Man on Fire. For two years, its charred remains have continued to crumble, standing like a ghostly tomb with the ash an' bones still inside. For those that attempt the perilous visit, some say if you listen to the mist long enough… you can still hear the voices inside.

Others say… it's just a ghost story.

* * *

 **Chapter XI**  
 _Awakening_

* * *

"DEVIL DOG, HOW COPY!?"

The mist was all-encompassing, penetrating the jungle like a deep fog. Visibility was next to impossible, but Snake continued to run anyway; dodging obstacles that would appear as if out of thin air.

"DO YOU COME IN, DEVIL DOG!?"

The moist ground beneath him was soft and spongy, splashing mud against his fatigues with each step. It mattered little to him though, as he had already been soaked through. The air was thick with moisture, warm and dense enough to collect drops of dew on the large foliage that would splash against him as he ran past.

"PEQUOD, WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!?'

A voice could faintly be heard, inaudible behind the shroud of static that cracked through Snake's earpiece. Behind him, he could hear the enemy following though the jungle. The echoes of their twitchy, twisted movements that sounded like the crack of bones bounced around the mist. Snake was sure he had become lost, but knew that stopping to check his surroundings would lead to his death. He had to first escape the Skulls…

The canopy darkened overhead as the last light of day faded away, coloring the mist a hazy blue that shimmered like a ghostly specter wafting through trees. Snake slowed his pace as the silence of night began to set in. The twisted movements of the Skull's were no longer audible to him.

Scanning the area around him, Snake searched for any source of movement between the nut-brown trees that towered like high-rises overhead, disappearing behind a ceiling of lush greenery. The only thing that moved was the mist as it hovered in the air, settling close to the ground. The stillness was uncomfortable, but the silence was even worse. The jungle was a place of life and activity, even at night. To be without it… almost felt alien.

Snake's ears burned with anticipation; listening intently for even the slightest of noises. He knew the Skulls would never give up this easily… not when they had him on the run. The crack of a twig caught his attention, turning quickly to face the direction of the disturbance. If there had been something behind him, it was now gone… vanishing into the bush like a shadow.

Sweat trickled slowly down Snake's brow, burning his eye as he peered into the darkness. Ghostly figures danced around within his peripherals like blurry figures hidden behind the hazy blue mist, but they disappeared whenever he looked in their direction. He was being watched… _but by what, and why?_

Snake could feel the weight of the satchel he carried growing heavy. Heavier than it should have been. Perhaps he was simply more aware of it, his senses on alert; or perhaps it was the parasite calling for _them._ With him, Snake carried a piece of flesh, cut from one of the Skull's; but a piece of flesh it truly was not. He carried a slice of the 'One that Covers', the parasite that covered the Skull's epidermis… and like all living things, it wished to return home.

" _Snake…"_

Snake turned quickly, startled by the voice that come from behind. There was nothing to set his eye upon except for the blue mist that hovered above the ground. Raising his assault rifle slowly up to his chest, Snake scanned the surrounding forest. He could feel the eyes on him… they came from the trees, the bushes, and the fog. He was the center of attention.

" _Snake…"_

The voice came from behind again.

Turning quickly, Snake faced the figure in the mist. His features were undefined, hidden by the blue haze that silhouetted his outline; appearing as if the he was a shadow, standing alone without a source.

" _This life your living…"_ Snake recognized the voice, or rather, didn't; but it belonged to the phantom that had appeared to him in the past. _"It wasn't meant to bring you happiness…"_

"What are you. Show yourself!" Snake barked his command, raising his rifle towards the shadowed figure.

" _You must let her die… or you shall bring ruin to us all."_

"Show yourself!"

The figure was gone, vanishing into the mist on the winds of a cool breeze. Snake stepped forward, his rifle pressed against his shoulder as he peered into the darkness. He couldn't shake the feeling…

The Skull leaped from the darkness like a lion pouncing on its prey, a blade high above his head that sliced through the blue mist as if it were butter. Snake saw him in the corner of his eye just quick enough to react before he could be run through by the Skull's blade. Turning sharply in his attackers direction, he pulled the trigger with the snap of his finger, spraying a stream of bullets into the air.

Snake's rounds caught the Skull while he was still in the air, sending him to the ground with a snarled growl. Writhing in the dirt, the monster quickly returned to his feet, but by time it had done so… Snake had already disappeared into the jungle.

(-)

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **2230 Hours**

Code Talker had fallen asleep at his desk - as was common in times of tedious work - atop a collection of books and notes when Snake returned to him. Snake, of course, paid little attention to the old man's slumber as he tossed the satchel he carried on the table with a loud thud. Shocked from the sudden disturbance, the old man quickly shot up straight in his chair; disapproval visible even behind his glossy white eyes.

"Is this your attempt… to make sure I'm not dead… or were you trying to kill me… with a heart attack?"

A scowl crossed Snake's lips, unamused by the old man's sense of humor.

"I have brought you what you requested…" Snake pointed a ridged finger towards the satchel on the table but never removing his eye from the old man. "Now synthesize me a cure."

Resting back in his chair, Code Talker closed his eye's as he exhaled calmly.

"I am tired… and this old man needs… rest. The girl's condition… will be no different tomorrow… I shall start then."

Snake took in a sharp breath as if he was about to protest, but accepted the old man's decision. Regardless of his calmed exhale, however, he still stormed out of the room in frustration.

* * *

The moon was high over Mother Base, its light unhindered by a cloudless night. Snake couldn't help but stare at it as he walked across the connecting bridge between platforms, absorbing its peaceful glow. It wasn't often he was granted a simple moment to enjoy the calm sounds of night, or the crisp smell of the salty sea. Of course he had moments of peace in the past, but they were always burdened by the thought of impending danger or the stress of Mother Base's unrelenting politics. To walk the bridges, alone and at night, was… relieving.

Snake stepped into Quiet's room silently, more-so out of respect than concern that he might make to much noise. He knew better than to believe that any loud sounds would wake her.

At night, the room was colored softly with the blue hue of the moon's light that shined brightly outside the open window. Snake noted how beautiful she look in such lighting, though the scars and sores across her body became more defined as he stepped closer.

Pulling up a chair, Snake sat at the side of her bed; taking her hand in his own. Her skin was soft to the touch, despite its brittle texture. With his eye, he followed the curves of her body, studying the features of her figure. He couldn't help but admit that she was very pleasant to look at, disregarding the sore spots that plagued her for the time.

As the night dragged on, Snake's thoughts wondered between subjects, his mind growing tired and the burdens of the outside fading away. When he would close his eye, images of Eva and Paz would fade in and out of his consciousness. They were all but memories of the past… blurry memories… incomplete….

 _Why?_

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters**

 **5 Days Later**

Snake had learned the art of patience out in the field. As a hunter, the skill was one of his greatest advantages, but it could also be a great weakness. Some opportunities arrive swiftly, with no hope of second chances.

A master of the art, Snake knew the hourglass of time was quickly draining as he waited for Code Talker's cure; finding the delicate balance between patience and impatience increasingly difficult as the days rolled by… each day seeing a rapid depression in Quiets condition. She had "woken" on several occasions, though each time consisted of a violent seizure that required several men to hold her steady until the attack passed. They soon became so frequent that Snake found it difficult to leave her bedside. But it was not just the days…

Snake spent his nights in the medical room, even if it meant sacrificing a soft bed and a restful sleep. He felt comfortable watching over Quiet… knowing he was there to keep her safe. Most nights, everything remained calm and silent, with the slow beat of the waves acting as the only symbol of life outside. With each passing night, Snake lowered his guard, growing content with the endless silence. On the sixth night, the rumble of storm clouds could be heard in the distance, though Snake thought little of it… closing his eye as he rested back in his chair.

* * *

Snake woke suddenly, his heart racing with the sharp crack of thunder and the rattle of the metal walls around him. Listening to the chorus outside, he could hear the crash of the waves against the platform and the downpour of rain that sounded like a roar of static noise. _It's a bad storm._ Inspecting his watch, he sighed at the thought of having only gotten several hours of sleep before the storm rolled overhead. Perhaps, had he been in his own bed, he would not have been as easily startled. Of course, that was only a passing thought. Snake wanted to be here, watching over Quiet… though he could not see her, his eye having not adjusted to the darkness. The beat of his heart settled to a comfortable pace as he thought of her…

A streak of lightning broke through the clouds, lighting up the night sky like a flare of white phosphorous. The light poured through the window, brightening the room with a flash that only lasted a second. But a second was all Snake needed to recognize the twisted, writhing movements of the girl in her bed…

Snake felt the beat of his heart jump as he launched himself from his seated position, the room returning to darkness in the same motion. He moved as quickly as he could, though the lack of visibility caused him to stumble around in the darkness before finding the edge of Quiet's bed. The room filled with light as another bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. In that moment, Snake took in everything he could… Her milky white eyes that had rolled up into her head, the bubbly foam that seeped through the edges of her mouth, the sores across her body that stained the sheets red. She vanished from his sight as the light disappeared, but he could still sense her… hear the vibrations of the bed as she writhed around.

"Medic!" Snake cried out instinctively, his voice drowned out by the crack of thunder. There was no one around to hear anyway…

Grabbing Quiet's arms, Snake pressed his weight against the girl, intent on preventing her from hurting herself. Behind the downpour of the rain, he could hear what sounded like muffled cries… cries of pain. With each flare of light in the night sky, he could see the pain; he was face to face with it, holding it in his arms. Closing his eye, Snake took solace in the ignorance of darkness; riding out the storm with the hope that it would soon pass.

* * *

The call of the seagulls woke Snake when dawn had broken. Opening his eye for the first time since the previous evening, he took in the red and orange colors of the room… first mornings light. The storm had all but been forgotten as the ocean gently batted against the platform outside.

Raising his head up, Snake noticed he had fallen asleep atop Quiets stomach. He could feel the dried blood stained across his cheek. His body ached and his joints creaked as he rose to his feet.

"You can have my wheelchair,… if you like."

Snake turned, recognizing Code Talker's voice instantly.

"Just a bad nights sleep is all, I'm not that old yet." Snake smiled softly as he spoke, finding what little humor he could in the situation. The old man did not laugh however, looking towards Quiet. "She doesn't have much time." The humor that had been in Snake's words before was no longer present, replaced with sadness.

"Then it's good… that I come just in time." For once in his life, Snake could have sworn he caught a glimmer of life behind the old man's unseeing eyes.

The procedure was quick and easy. As Code Talker explained it, he had used the sample Snake brought him to synthesize a liquidated compound of the 'One that Covers' that could be mixed with a sample of blood plasma. From there, all that was required was to inject it into Quiet.

Snake tapped his finger against his side in quick recession as he watched the plasma slowly travel through the clear tube toward the needle stuck in Quiets arm.

"You're nervous?" Code Talker commented, looking towards Snake.

"What if it doesn't work…" Snake kept his eye on Quiet.

"It will." Code Talker pointed towards the plasma filled bag. "My mixture… is designed to combine… with her blood. From there, the… 'One that Covers' will travel through her body… become… part of her body. If my theory is correct… the pure, unmodified strain… of the 'One that Covers' will… overpower and destroy… her Vocal Cord parasites."

"And if your theory is wrong?"

"Then… she dies…"

Snake turned his head quickly towards the old man, distress present behind the reflective gloss of his eye.

"But I'm not… wrong." Code Talker responded quickly, as if to calm Snake's nerves.

The two continued to stand in silence until the entirety of the serum had been injected into Quiet's body. Snake breathed heavily as he felt the tension in his muscles begin to relax.

"Now… we wait." Code Talker spoke softly, turning his wheelchair as he did so. Snake watched the old man with a tired eye as he slowly rolled out of the room.

Finding himself alone, Snake sat in his seat next to Quiet's bed. Closing his eye, he drifted out of consciousness.

* * *

The creaking sound of rattling metal woke Snake from his sleep, though he was unstartled. His vision was groggy, but clear enough to notice to twitchy movements of the girl next to him. Blinking several times to focus his sight, he watched Quiet's sharp muscle movements that rattled the bed frame gently. They weren't quick, violent movements… but sudden twinges in her joints and muscles.

Noticing a stain of fresh blood soaking into the bed, Snake stood up from his seat; grabbing a damp towel from a water basin nearby.

Standing over the girl, Snake placed his hand over her forehead. She was warm to the touch. Looking at the towel, he turned it over in his prosthesis, exhaling a sigh. For a moment, he believed he could have felt the dampness of the water against his fingers.

As the hours of night rolled by, the tired soldier simply stood there, watching over the girl. When her wounds would bleed, he cleaned her body with the damp towel. When the towel became blood soaked, he would wash it off in the basin of water. When the basin of water was filled with blood, he tossed the towel aside and used his own shirt.

This was how he spent his nights. During the day, he slept… in a uncomfortable chair… next to her bed…

Blood stained across his arms…

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **0100 Hours**

 **New Years Day - 1987**

Christmas on Mother Base had never been considered to be a big deal. At best, the different ethnic and cultural groups that populated the base would gather independently of one another and host private celebrations. New Years, however, was a much bigger occasion. For many on Mother Base, death is understood as an inevitable reality that could arrive at any time and come for anyone. To survive another year is considered a success worth celebration. On the first day, of every new year, Diamond Dogs held a feast for everyone that was part of the organization, including the refugees. Anyone out in the field on the first would return home, and anyone out in the field unable to do so would stand down for the day. For Kaz, New Years Day was considered to be the revival of 'Peace Day', and he made sure everyone knew it and recognized it. Perhaps it was his memory of Paz that fueled this belief, or perhaps it was an actual desire to see the end of war. Regardless, one thing remained consistent… one day, every year, Diamond Dogs would abstain from bloodshed.

* * *

The sound of fireworks popped in the sky like loud gunshots. Ocelot watched them as colors of blue, red, and green burned intensely in the night for seconds before dissolving. Around him, he could hear the chatter of Diamond Dog soldiers and staff in between the cracks. The platform was busier than usual, mainly because of the occasion. People moved about and around him, many brandishing a smile or raising a hand as they passed by. Ocelot, however, paid little attention to them. He preferred to continue watching the fireworks.

"Have you seen the Boss?" Ocelot recognized Miller's voice behind him, though the tap of his cane had already given him away. "He's been missing all evening."

Ocelot took his attention off of the sky as a particularly bright firework illuminated the ground around him, turning towards Kaz.

"He remains where he as been all week… and the week before that, come to think of it."

Ocelot only saw the scowl that crossed Kaz's face for a second before the illuminated flare in the sky disappeared, returning the two men to the shadows.

"This… this has got to end." Kaz's voice came from beneath his breath, like harsh whisper. Turning away from Ocelot, he moved as fast as his limp would carry him.

"Where do you think you're going!" Ocelot called out, surprised by his companions sudden departure.

"To finish what I should have done long ago."

A firework burst in the sky, as red as an ember, and as loud as a cannon. Ocelot had not heard Kaz's final words…

* * *

The medical platform had a habit of becoming seemingly abandoned during the New Year celebration. Staff would leave to enjoy their time and patients would be left to themselves until their return. The platform, itself, was also a good distance away from where the celebration was being held; isolating it from the disturbance of the fireworks and other commotion. Though their pops could faintly be heard in the distance, Snake remained undisturbed.

Resting back in his chair, the tired soldier looked over the blood-stained towel in his hand before dropping it to the floor with squishy splat. Turning his gaze towards Quiet, Snake knew he had no more energy, a heavy yawn escaping his lungs. Closing his eye, he slipped into a deep sleep quickly.

The fireworks continued to pop outside…

The night carried on… until all was silent…

The room remained still…

Snake remained undisturbed when the door hissed open. He did not wake as the shadowy figured stepped in and crossed the room slowly. He did not recognize the light taps that echoed off the walls, accompanying the figures movement. He did not sense the man standing in front of him, hovering over Quiet. He did not notice the weapon that glistened under the rays of moonlight, pointing directly towards the girl. He did not hear…

The weapons hammer clicked as the figure cocked it slowly.

Snake's eye snapped open. In a heartbeat, he was on top of the shadowy figure, knocking the weapon fiercely from his hand as he hooked his fist violently into the man's skull. The figure was unable to defend himself, stumbling backward from the attack before collapsing to the ground. Snake hovered over him, preparing to strike again, before realizing the man had stumbled into a ray of the moons light.

"K… Kaz?"

Snake stepped back in surprise, struggling to find the chair he had been sitting in. His head throbbed with a dull pain, thoughts racing through his mind as he collapsed into the chair. He didn't want to believe… his friend… but the weapon on the floor was all the proof he needed.

"W… why?" Snake didn't know what more to say, vocalizing the first word coherently available to him.

Kaz had been laid out on the floor, grunting as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He made no attempt to reach for his cane, settling with his back against the wall as he caught his breath. As he moved, he avoided Snake's glaring gaze, keeping his eyes to the ground.

Snake, however, needed not to look him in the eyes to recognize the anger that burned behind them.

"Look at me!" As the pounding in Snake's mind reduced, he turned towards anger. "You will tell me!… why?"

Kaz remained silent. The room remained silent. The only sound to break the noiseless air was the low hum of the two men's breathing. They were both uneven, out of sink… uncomfortable.

Snake motioned to speak again, but his friend broke the silence…

"Boss… you know I've got your back… I've always supported you… faithfully!" Kaz snapped his head upwards as he spoke the final word, meeting Snake's eye. "But… you've grown unfocused… detached from… everything we've built here!" The tone of his words grew harsher as he continued, raising his voice every other interval. "All because of HER, Boss."

Snake narrowed his eye as he and his friend continued to stare each other down. He didn't notice his prosthetic hand clinched into a fist.

"She's the ENEMY!" Kaz continued. "Always has been. Why can't you see that?! We got lucky when she decided to leave… and here you are bringing her BACK! Bringing… the parasite back."

"Code Talker… he found a cure." Snake's response came from a calmed voice, hopeful that they might find common ground.

"It's been months, Snake!" Kaz snapped. "You're holding onto a fools hope! You've given yourself over to it… you've lost the person you used to be!"

Kaz continued to speak, but Snake did not hear his words. His mind lingered on his last accusation. _You've lost the person you used to be_ … why was there something so haunting about those words. His thoughts turned to the phantom that had appeared before him on several occasions, though he could find not a connection or significance. Something about those words…

"Hey! Are you even listening to me!?"

Kaz's angered words brought Snake back from his thoughts. Having lost track of the conversation, he could only look dazedly towards his friend. Kaz glared condescendingly in return, realizing he had lost Snake.

Shaking his head in disappointment, Kaz returned to his feet slowly, awkwardly struggling with his balance as he did so. When he had done so, he took a quick glance towards Quiet before spitting on the floor.

"As I said… bringing her here will be our ruin." Kaz turned his back to Snake, limping towards the doorway. "But I guess you don't care about that anymore, friend."

Just like the venom in his words, the door hissed sharply as Kaz left the room. Snake did not move from his seat, keeping his eye on the door… not removing it until the break of dawn.

* * *

With great relief, Snake watched as Quiet's condition improved with each passing day. Not to say she had completely healed, but he was resting easier knowing that Code Talker's treatment had actually worked. The first noticeable sign that gave it away was the pigment of her skin; the pastiness of it faded away as life began to breath natural color back into her skin tone. The sores across her body had also healed to some degree… they were still present, but no longer bled.

Standing over her, Snake rested the palm of his hand against her forehead. She was warm… but not burning up. Taking this as a good sign, he reached for a small pair of stitching scissors. Handling them gently, Snake lowered them close to Quiet's mouth, pushing one edge of the blade between her lips. Holding his breath to steady his hand, Snake slowly pressed the blades together, catching the stitches on her mouth in-between. With little effort, the thin strand snapped… one by one. Snake continued until he had cut all of the bindings that held her lips together.

Smiling, Snake watched as Quiet's mouth slowly parted, the skin of her lightly pinked lips suctioning together until release. It had to have been his imagination, but he could have sworn he heard a moan escape her lips in that last moment.

Snake's bones cracked as he lowered himself into his chair, stretching himself to pop his tense muscles. When he was relaxed, he closed his eye; his breath lengthening as exhaustion set in.

Sleep overcame him quickly, Snake having grown accustomed to the uncomfortable chair.

* * *

Snake awoke to the commotion of people moving about and talking amongst each other. Grunting, he blinked to clear the blurriness in his eye as group of doctors and nurses came into focus. Their shocked and bewildered expressions were admittedly worrisome to Snake, who was not expecting such a reception… though they took little interest in him. Instead, they had amassed around Quiet's bed, something having grabbed their attention.

Standing up, Snake raised his hand in front of his face; a stream of light blinding him as it filled the room through the window. His vision blurry, Snake pushed his way through the crowd, approaching Quiet's bed. As the light spots in his eye bubbled away, he was greeted with a pair of beautiful eyes… green as the leaves of a pine forest… sparkling like the reflection of the sun against the clear ocean.

A smile cracked across Snake's lips…

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **1100 Hours**

Quiet watched Code Talker curiously as he poked and prodded her with needles and other medical instruments, her eyes following his movements with impressive precision. Snake stood close by, watching just as curiously, as the old man nodded his head and spoke a string of words so silently that he must have been speaking to himself. Snake opened his mouth to ask what had him so interested, but the old man spoke first, turning towards Snake.

"Her blood… it is good."

"And the Vocal Cord Parasite?" Snake inquired in response.

"No longer present. The stronger strain of… the 'One that Covers'… destroyed it."

Quiet's eyes glowed with excitement. Looking towards her, Snake watched as a smile began to cross her cracked lips… but it was quickly replaced with a grimaced expression as she winced in pain. Recognizing the sudden change in attitude, Snake moved quickly to her side, grabbing her arm and resting his hand behind her back as he lowered her to the bed.

"You mustn't get too excited child,… your body… it has not yet fully healed." Code Talker revealed a syringe as he spoke, poking it into Quiets arm. "Here… this will help… with the pain."

Quiet nodded in thanks before looking towards Snake. In a moment that seemed to last forever, the two locked eyes… each inspecting one another… studying their features… memorizing their faces. Snake tore his eye from her, forcing himself to look away before he let his emotions get the better of him… taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

When he looked back towards her, Quiet had tears swelling in her eyes… and a weak smile across her face. Maybe it was sadness, or happiness… though Snake suspected a little bit of both. Raising his hand to her cheek, he motioned to wipe the tears from her eyes with his thumb… but at the touch of his cold prosthesis, Quiet jerked her head back. Hitching his breath at the sudden movement, Snake stared at his hand with a frown… he didn't blame her… but this was the first time he had ever looked at his missing limb in disgust.

Quiet noticed is expression instantly, raising her hands shakily to grab his own, pulling his prosthetic fingers to cup her cheek. Though he could not feel the touch of her skin, Snake smiled at the gesture. Closing her eyes, Quiet cooed softly as she drifted to sleep, her grip on Snake's hand loosening.

"Welcome home…" Snake whispered as he slipped his hand out of her own, making his way for the door.

"S… Sna… ke…"

Snake stopped dead in his tracks, his heart beating quickly. That sweet, accented voice... he had only heard it once before. Turning, his eye met Quiet's. Though she produced no sound, he knew what she was mouthing to him…

 _Thank you…_

(-)

(-)

(-)

 **Later That Day**

The high pitched squeal of the sirens blared across Mother Base, echoing off the blue ocean and the helicopters that circled in the sky. Snake stood on the edge of the Command platform, staring across the ocean at the Refugee platform in the distance, clenching his fist in frustration.

"Boss!"

Snake turned to find Kaz standing next to him, having not heard his approach amongst all the commotion.

"You know… sometimes being right fucking sucks… but I fucking told you this would happen!"

Snake did not flinch at Kaz's outburst, keeping his eye on the Refugee platform.

"I fucking told you, if you bring her here… now we have an outbreak on the Refugee platform! The English fucking strain!"

"Kaz!" Snake snapped his neck, turning his head towards his friend.

"Don't give me your moralistic shit! This is your fucking fault!"

"Kaz!" Snake snapped, louder this time, attempting to grab his friends attention.

"You have destroyed…!"

His knuckles popping from the pressure, Snake turned quickly to face his friend, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket. Shocked from the sudden attack, Kaz dropped his cane as he closed his mouth.

"Burn it down…" Snake hissed.

"W… what?" Despite the anger that fueled him moments before, Kaz looked genially confused.

"Burn it… down. Burn it all down! Before it spreads!"

"The whole platform? The women and children… families? Th… there are people not yet infected still…"

"Miller! Burn it down! That's an order!"


	12. Ashes

"Burn it… down!"

The plume of black smoke rising over the ocean could be seen for miles, darkening the sky as the sun was lost to the smog an' ash. In the hours that followed the initial bombardment, Mother Base stood still, falling into silence. Soldiers, doctors, engineers; people from every platform had gathered around, staring across the ocean as the Refugee platform burned. Amongst them was a young man who watched helplessly as people set ablaze jumped from the platform, plummeting to their death in the sea below. Collapsing to his knees, tears swelled in his eyes, glossing them with the reflection of the burning platform. Just as the flame flickered in his eye, another was born in his heart… the birth of revenge… vengeance for those that had been lost…

His family.

Kyle Schneider clenched his fist, reddening his knuckles.

* * *

 **Chapter XII**  
 _Ashes_

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **1700 Hours**

 **Briefing Room**

"Alright, alright!… Everyone calm down!" Ocelot raised his hands with his palms out as he stepped between the group.

After the flames of the Refugee platform had died down, Snake called a meeting with his most trusted officials - Kaz, Ocelot, and Code Talker - with the hopes of figuring out how to proceed… though the argument that ensued prevented any such progress.

"Calm down?! The Boss just ended hundreds of innocent lives!" By this point, Kaz's face had already turned red and his voice hoarse.

"Don't you dare play the innocent party here. As I recall, you gave the same order two years ago… 'light em' up' I believe it was."

Furious by Ocelots response, Kaz let his cane fall to the ground, raising a finger to the cowboy's face.

"That was different! Those men were infected, all of them! There was nothing that could have been done!"

"So what… we should have taken the time to sort out who was infected and who wasn't?" Ocelot reached down as he spoke, picking up Kaz's cane, who accepted it disgruntledly. "English is the most widely spoken language on Mother Base. Any contact with the Refugees could have caused a much larger outbreak."

"About that… how the hell do we know it's not already on the base?! Maybe it's in this fucking room!" Kaz shifted his weight on his cane.

"Code Talker?" Ocelot turned towards the old man who had thus far remained silent.

"The Vocal Cord parasite… is eradicated… I have already cleared… all of your men."

"See… the Boss did the right thing; taking care of the parasite quickly." Ocelot turned back to Kaz as he spoke. "A lot of the nurses lived in the Refugee camp. One of them must have become infected while working with Quiet… we're just lucky it didn't spread beyond the one platform."

"If the Boss wanted to do the right thing, he wouldn't have brought that bitch here in—"

"Enough!"

Slamming his hand down on the table, Snake sent the room into silence, grabbing the attention of the other men.

"What happened here today… that was my call. I take full responsibility for it. Two years ago… that was my call as well. I shot those men, MY men. If you think I take these actions lightly… you are wrong. I will carry the burden of what I have done here for the rest of my life… but I do not regret it." Snake's voice resonated in the small room as he spoke, holding the attention of the other men. Ocelot crossed his arms, Kaz loosened the tension in his muscles, and Code Talker wheeled himself closer. "What we will do is honor them… like we have done in the past… like we will always do."

Ocelot nodded slowly in agreement, turning his head towards Kaz. The room was silent as everyone waited for his response. Pursing his lips in a moment of thought, Kaz motioned to speak…

The pop of an explosion in the distance rattled the walls of the room.

"The hell—!"

"Quiet!" Snake cut Ocelot off, raising his hand as he opened his ears to the silence.

Listening for only a moment, his eye widened when he recognized the faint rhythmic pops in the distance…

"We're under attack!"

* * *

 **One Hour Earlier**

"What you're talking about, Schneider, is called treason. They'll throw us in the brig for this… or worse."

Kyle Schneider stood as the center of attention in a rather large group of people that had amassed in a particularly dark corner of Mother Base. The group was a diverse collection of men and women, soldiers and refugees, people of different backgrounds… but all unified in their readiness to vent the anger that had boiled sense the burning of the Refugee platform.

"I know… but it's the risk we have got to take." Kyle put a hand on his friend's shoulder, a fellow refugee. "Look around you, at all these faces. We lost everything today, every one of us." Kyle turned towards the group, raising his voice as he spoke louder. "I called you all here, because something needs to be done. My beautiful wife… my innocent child…" His words choked before regaining his composure, the tone of his voice growing harsh. "I intend to find vengeance for their death… on the man who gave the order."

Murmurs and whispers began to echo from the crowd as they looked around at one another. Anger towards the Boss was certainly present… but to act on it was something entirely different. Kyle recognized their concerned words and glances, raising his voice again…

"I can sense your hesitation, and know that I will not force anyone to join me. But please hear me out. The Boss… he is only a legend by the word of man… and man is what he is. Lend me your strength, and together… we can find peace for those that we lost."

Kyle turned towards his friend, who nodded in agreement.

* * *

The explosion of a grenade rattled the walls, propelling a shockwave of shrapnel and smoke through the tight corridor. Snake braced himself behind his cover as the debris splintered around him.

"SNAKE, WE NEED TO MOVE!" Ocelot grabbed Snake's shoulder from behind, yelling as the deafening pops of machine gun fire echoed loudly, their bullets ricocheting in the tight space.

Snake leaned out his cover for second, blindly firing several rounds from his handgun. Returning to cover, he nodded his head before looking towards another one of his men who had taken cover near Kaz and Code Talker.

"SOLDIER, GET KAZ AND THE OLD MAN OUT OF HERE!"

"I'M NOT LEAVING YO—!" Kaz cried out in protest before being quickly cut off by Snake.

"THIS IS NOT NEGOTIABLE KAZ! GET OUT OF HERE!"

Kaz opened his mouth in attempt to rebuttal but was interrupted when the soldier grabbed him by the arm, hoisting him up to his feet. Snake and Ocelot rose from their cover, opening fire as they covered the groups escape. When they had disappeared around a corner, the two returned to their cover.

"ALRIGHT, WE NEED TO DO THE SAME AND GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Ocelot pointed down the corridor, flinching as a bullet sparked overhead.

Snake didn't look towards Ocelot as he spoke, slipping a magazine into his pistol with a satisfying crack. Clicking the slide cover forward, he looked up…

"THEN YOU BETTER GET GO—!"

Another explosion detonated just opposite the two's cover, raining smoke and debris on top of them that blackened their faces with soot. Ocelot coughed violently as he batted the air with his hand. His vision foggy, Snake leaned out of his cover again, firing towards the blurry figures in the distance. Though he had little control of his aim, one of the figures stiffened for split second before collapsing to the ground. Confident he had just tagged one, Snake rose from his cover, advancing to another fortified position; emptying his magazine as he sprinted. Regaining his focus, Ocelot scowled as he watched Snake take cover closer to the enemy.

"Stubborn son-of-a-bitch!"

Recognizing he would do little to persuade Snake into retreating, Ocelot rose quickly, vaulting over his cover in the same, fluid motion. The revolver in his right hand spun like a propeller on his index finger until his feet landed firmly back on the ground. Ocelot did not fear the enemy bullets as he stood out in the open, raising the sights of his weapon to form a perfect line with his eye.

He squeezed the trigger… a squirt of blood popped like a water balloon out of one of the enemies chest as the figure collapsed to the ground.

Another click of the trigger… a second enemy flinched quickly before falling limp.

A third time… the bullet sparked against the metal surface as its target quickly ducked behind cover.

Ocelot lowered his weapon as he pressed his back against a metal beam, taking cover from the storm of enemy bullets that attempted to catch him out in the open. Peeking out, he noticed Snake was still a distance ahead of him, a crooked smile on his lips.

"YOUR PRETTY GOOD!" Snake called out.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Unamused, Ocelot pushed himself out of his cover, drawing a second revolver. Raising the two weapons in tandem, he opened fire as he pressed the advance.

Following the cowboys lead, Snake rose to his feet, holding his weapon in both hands close to his face as he opened fire.

Caught in the sights of the two skilled warriors, the enemy combatants ducked for what cover they could find. Those that found themselves out in the open, were cut down swiftly. Blood stained the walls as the enemy numbers began to dwindle. As panic and confusion began to overtake the group several men tried to turn and run, but upon exposing themselves, were quickly cut down. By time Snake and Ocelot were on top of what was left of the group, the surviving combatants had already thrown their weapons to the ground, holding their hands out with pleading eyes.

Snake's heart sank as he noticed the twinkle of small diamonds impeded in their armbands…

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **1830 Hours**

 **Room 101**

Snake stood, his arms crossed, behind the one-way window; gritting his teeth as he stared through the glass at the group of men who sat silently with their heads down… there were only seven left. They had been lined up in a row of chairs in the center of the room, each with their hands tied behind their backs. Though they had remained silent thus far, the expressions of grief and concern on their faces spoke a thousand words… except for one man.

The hiss of the sliding door next to him grabbed Snakes attention, turning his head as Ocelot and Kaz stepped in.

"Well?" Snake spoke softly.

"This is the last of them." Miller spoke up, limping towards the window to look towards the men. "We've combed every platform and questioned every soul on this base. Even had D-Dog sniff for anyone that might have been hiding."

"And Shotmaker… is he behind it?"

"Not likely." Ocelot spoke up this time, leaning with his arm crossed against the wall behind them. "He hasn't left the Brig for days, and video surveillance proves he hasn't spoken to anyone in that time. I'm not dismissing the possibility… but I believe this attack was too uncoordinated to be his work."

"Then the man we're looking for is already dead." Miller's voice carried a disappointed tone.

Emitting a low grunt, Snake turned back towards the window… his eye locking with that of another man. Deep within, he recognized the glow of the man's eye, like a burning hatred he had once possessed… vengeance.

"Or, he is in this room." Snake raised a finger to the glass. "That man… who is he?"

Ocelot pushed himself off the wall, walking closer as he looked towards the man in the center of the group. "That's Kyle Schneider… member of the base development unit. He has a wife and kid here on Mother Base. The lived on the Refugee…" Ocelot's words slowed to a silence as realization came over him.

"They lived on the Refugee platform." Snake finished the sentence, staring through the glass at the man that sat silently.

* * *

In the hours that followed, Ocelot pressed the interrogation on the group. To his surprise, Kyle was exceptionally forthcoming regarding the whole ordeal; admitting to having orchestrated the attack and convincing a collection of people to join him. When questioned about his family, Ocelot displayed little surprise to the venom that soon sprayed from his mouth as he cried to see the Boss… though Snake preferred to watch silently behind the one-way glass.

"You destroyed innocent lives… I knew this would happen." Miller spoke condescendingly, shaking his hand.

Snake responded with a grunt, opening his mouth to speak softly. "We all make sacrifices…"

After the interrogation, Miller had pressed for the traitors execution… Snake chose to lock them away.

Enough blood had been shed…

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **2100 Hours**

 **Medical Platform**

 _It's a beautiful night…_

Snake stared out the window of Quiet's room, his thoughts lost in the silence. Stars twinkled and danced across the sky in the cloudless night, dwarfed only by the full moon that filled the room with rays of aqua blue light. The light, though, did not disturb Quiet as she lay silently in her bed… sleeping.

Taking his eye off of the night, Snake looked towards the girl… it was like looking at a different person. Much of the soars and lacerations that had scarred her body weeks before… had vanished. Not to say she was completely healed, though, as several of the much deeper wounds remained; though they no longer bled. Of course, had he not known it to be the work of the 'One that Covers', Snake might have thought it was a damn miracle she was recovering so fast.

Reaching down, Snake grazed the top of his fingers across her arm. Her skin was smooth and soft, and pleasant to the touch. It was like running a hand through a bed of silk. But his hand was rough and cracked, and he could feel the layers of his own fingers. She must have as well, because before he was done, Quiet stirred, her eyes fluttering open.

"I'm sorry… didn't mean to wake you." Snake pulled his hand away, aware that he was still touching her.

Quiet smiled, humming softly.

"You've been asleep most of the evening. How do you feel?"

Quiet hummed again, parting her lips gently though she did not speak.

Snake rested his hand against her shoulder. "It's alright, you don't—"

"Be… better…" Quiet's words were harsh and stuttered, but soft and carried a lyrical rhythm that was sweet to the ears. "I… feel… better."

Snake smiled back warmly, gliding his hand down the side of her arm. Quiet flinched her arm at the sensation, closing her eyes as she cooed softly. When she opened them again, Snake couldn't help but notice how the light of the moon reflected across her eyes, making it seem as if the green of her pupils were glowing.

The two shared glances in silence, almost awkwardly. Snake wanted to speak, though no words came to his tongue…

"Sn… ake… you look… troubled." Quiet broke the silence.

Sighing heavily at the thought of the days events, Snake lowered himself slowly into a chair close to the bed. Shaking his head, he knew he couldn't tell her the truth… how everything happened as a result of bringing her here…

 _Not yet…_

"Just been a long day is all…"

If she had known that wasn't the truth, she did a good job of not showing it; humming smoothly as she gave him a comforting smile. "Any… thing… I can do?"

Snake rose from his seat, almost as if it was knee-jerk reaction to her question. Taking her hand in his own, he kneaded her palm gently. This caught Quiet's attention as her eyes glowed curiously towards him.

"You just being here… safe… that's enough."

Quiet smiled as she closed her eyes again. Gently, Snake lowered her hand back to the bed before turning towards the door.

"Snake… why?"

"Hmm?" Snake kept his back to her but turned his head.

"Why did you… bring me back?"

How long he stood there in silence, he could not tell. She was waiting for an answer, but he did not have you… or… maybe he just wasn't ready to voice the truth.

Snake left the room without saying a word.

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters**

 **Later that Evening**

 **Refugee Platform**

There was nothing left.

The charred remains of what had been home to hundreds of refugees, only hours ago, stretched out around Snake. The air was thick with ash and dust, trapping the heat that still resonated from the scarred ground. With each step, the crunch of blackened tents and brittle bones pierced his ears; carrying with them the cries of those that lay before him. He had heard the voices on the wind before… at the Devils House.

But this was his own Devils House.

And it hurt.

A chill… an unpleasant tingling sensation traveled the length of Snake's spine. He had felt it before… when he was alone…

"I know you're there!" Snake shouted as he turned, scanning the charred ruins. "Reveal yourself to me! As you have done in the past!"

Silence…

"SHOW YOURSELF!"

The night was undisturbed.

Looking around had become almost impossible. Despite the cloudless night, the ash that surrounded him was suffocating, snuffing out any source of light. Snake's eye reddened as he peered into blackness; each breath growing stiffer as the shadows fell upon him…

Overtaken, Snake collapsed to his knees, planting his hands on the ground as his head hang low. With each labored breath, a puff of black smoke plumbed into the air. After a second, it would fade… but the guilt of what had been done would not.

 _Was it worth it…?_

" _Boss…"_

The sound of a ghostly voice faded from his consciousness, holding no truth to reality. This was a name for another.

" _Snake…"_

There was meaning to the word, but lies still dripped from its tongue. The name holds many uses.

" _Ahab…"_

The name was damned, bred for a single purpose. Revenge. It was identifiable.

Snake looked up, his brow damp with sweat. There was a tingling sensation in his left arm; the phantom pain. Standing before him was shadowy figure, composed of the ash and smoke around him. He stared at it, and it stared back at him… but it had no face for which to see.

" _Do you know who you are Ahab… your purpose?"_

"You appear to me again, yet your words remain cryptic. There is something about you… about me. I can feel it scratching at my mind. Why do you haunt me?" Snake spoke calmly to the ghostly figure, returning to his feet as he did so.

" _It's time you learn the truth… return to Cyprus… and you shall have your answers…"_

The figure made no effort to move as it glided backward, vanishing into shadowy void.


	13. Before the Truth

Cyprus.

Where everything changed.

And where everything will change again.

A sense of deja vu washed over Snake as he crept through the wreckage of the hospital he once spent nine years in, avoiding the enemy patrols that searched relentlessly for him and his companion. Over two years ago, when he had first awoken, it was Cypher that he avoided. Of course, at the time he only managed to escape because of the help of a mysterious man that had been covered in bandages (though by this point, Snake was convinced the mysterious man couldn't have been anything more than a hallucination). This time, it wasn't Cypher… but the organization Snake had encountered in Pripyat.

 _D.I.A._

* * *

 **Chapter XIII  
** _Before the Truth_

* * *

The Hospital had seen better days…

From his briefing with Ocelot, Snake was aware that the hospital was still standing… though with great surprise considering the Man on Fire had burned a good portion of it down two years ago. What he did not expect, was to find it standing almost exactly how he left it. Sure, after so much time, nature had begun to retake the land but the wreckage still remained. Inside, the walls had blackened from the fires that burned overnight. Those that had been untouched by the flames, were littered with bullet holes and stains of blood still soaking into the wallpaper. Corpses were scattered on every floor… some in patient garb… others, Cypher. The smell of decaying flesh and bone was intolerable… _/Patriot Jamming Signal Detected - Content Blocked/_

(-)

Snake hugged the wall as close as he could, concealing himself in the shadows as a group of soldiers passed by. He watched as they scanned the hallway with their flashlights, holding his breath as one of their beams passed to his left. Thankfully, the corner he was in was just tight enough to be missed by their light, exhaling slowly as the group continued.

"Let's go." Snake motioned down the hallway as he stepped out of the shadows.

Quiet materialized in an instant, standing close to where Snake had been. Taking a quick glance towards the lights that glowed down the hallway, she followed him in the opposite direction.

"Those men… the pentagon on their armband… the shape carved into that man's skull… Snake?" Quiet kept her voice low as she spoke, following close behind Snake.

"I know… there's a connection."

Two years ago, an attack helicopter had blown a hole in the side of the hospital in an attempt to take out the Man on Fire. Though tree branches now protruded through it, Snake was not surprised to discover it was still present. Pointing through the branches, Quiet followed his finger to the wreckage of the helicopter, its rusty metal body becoming one with nature. Holding up his flashlight, the hallway held a familiar sight as well… the mangled and bullet ridden corpses of a dozen or more bodies.

"It was like pigs at the slaughter…" Try as hard as he may, Snake couldn't shake the thoughts of that evening as he stepped over the decaying corpses.

Quiet remained silent as she followed Snakes path, holding her hand over her mouth in a combination of disgust and shock. He didn't expect her to respond…

Up a flight of stairs and down another hallway, Snake couldn't help but feel like the weight of the hospital was beginning to press down on him… push him forward… draw him closer. The hiss of a gas grenade rang in the distance as the air around him thickened with smoke. The hallway seemed to grow longer with each step, the light of his flashlight dimming as the darkness suffocated it.

" _Snake…"_

A ghostly howl echoed from within the depths… or was it simply the wind.

" _Snake…"_

Snake's ears burned… something was calling him forward.

"Snake!"

Snake almost collapsed when he felt her hand land on his shoulder, but he grabbed the wall, his head spinning wildly. Quiet moved to support him, but stepped back as he held his hand up. "I'm alright… just got dizzy is all."

"What happened?… you just froze for a second." Snake could sense the genuine concern in her voice.

"This place… there are strong memories here… but I'm fine. Besides, we're close."

Stepping into the room was… strange. Snake knew he had been in here before, but at the same time, it felt different. It was like there was a presence not yet identifiable to him. Taking a deep breath, be began to look around. _What am I looking for._

The nurse and the doctor remained where they had died, decomposing. Shaking his head, Snake looked towards Quiet. He recognized the twitching of her eye as she looked towards the bodies… recognizing her handiwork.

"You okay?" Quiet snapped her eyes to Snake when he spoke.

"Yah… I…" Quiet broke eye contact, looking back towards the bodies as her words slowed.

"You feel sorry for them now…"

Quiet nodded in response. "Is that a sign of weakness?"

"No…"

Snake took his attention off the bodies as he stepped further into the room. The sheets of the bed he had once resided in were still a mess; from when he had been thrown from them. Running his prosthetic over them reminded him… reminded him of the night he found out. He sighed as he lifted his fingers, the soft sensation of the fabric still tingling on them. He knew it wasn't real.

Looking up, Snake noticed Quiet standing near the window. Though he couldn't see her expression, she appeared to be deep in thought, bowing her head slightly. It wasn't until she turned to face him, did Snake notice the tear that had slowly traveled down her cheek.

"I… I'm Sorry."

Stepping close to her, Snake placed his hand on the Quiet's cheek, wiping the tear away with his thumb.

"Don't be. We were different people then."

Pulling his hand away, Snake motioned to turn back towards the room. Before he could do so, though, Quiet caught him by the hand, holding his tightly between both of hers.

"Quiet?" Snake looked back to her, a little surprised and confused.

Her eyes wavered as she looked him in the eye, tightening her lips before opening them slightly… though she spoke no words. Looking back to the ground, Quiet released her grip on Snake's hand.

Turning back to the room, Snake raised his flashlight. Nothing out of the ordinary… well, except for the state the room was in to begin with. A cart flipped over, broken bottles, glass scattered everywhere,… then it stuck out to him.

 _The Star of Bethlehem._

The vase sat perfectly on the bedside table, with a collection of white flowers standing beautifully out of the top. It was a stark contrast to the rest of the room. _Someone must have placed it there purposefully._

Quiet watched intently as Snake walked closer.

Picking the vase up, Snake stared at the flowers for a moment before turning his head. Giving it a light shake, the tap of something on the inside echoed softly.

 _We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand._

(-)

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters  
** **1030 Hours**

 **10 Days Earlier**

Staring across the ocean, Snake watched as men in hazmat suits sifted through the burnt carcass of the Refugee Platform. They moved slowly, pulling blackened bodies out from the rubble and placing them into steel coffins before loading them up onto helicopters. From there, they were transported to another platform to be processed… turned into diamonds. Snake chose not to involve himself this time, allowing Miller to take the lead.

As he watched, Snake imagined it couldn't be easy looking for bodies on this particular day. The clouds had rolled in earlier in the morning, and it hadn't stopped raining since. Not a hard rain, but enough to turn the ash and soot into a mushy tar.

"We're ready Boss."

Snake broke his attention from the Refugee Platform, turning towards Wire. Behind him, Devil Dog sat idly, its rotors spinning just fast enough to deflect the rain as if it was an umbrella.

"Tell Pequod, I will be on board shortly."

"Boss!"

Wire stiffened as he saluted before turning back towards Devil Dog. Snake watched all the way, until he disappeared up the ramp.

"Boss!"

Snake recognized Ocelot's voice behind him, turning to find him approaching with his hand held up to block the rain from his face.

"Boss, I need to speak to you." Ocelot stopped when he was in front of Snake.

"I'm going to Cyprus. You can't stop me." The determination on Snake's words was sincere. "I can't explain it… but something is calling me back."

"I know, and I'm not trying to stop you" Ocelot pulled out his iDroid, blowing up a map of Afghanistan between the two men. "But I do need you to look into something first."

Snake raised his eyebrow without a response, looking over the map.

"One of our intel agents dropped off the grid a few days ago." Ocelot pointed at the holographic map. At the tip of his finger, a red dot flashed every couple of seconds. "This morning, his transponder was reactivated… but it hasn't moved from that position. We've tried raising him on communications, but to no success."

Sighing, Snake looked back up to Ocelot, crossing his arms. "Isn't this a job better suited for a scout team."

Ocelot closed the holographic display, remaining silent as he hooked his iDroid to his belt. Wiping the rain from his eyes, he finally looked back towards Snake. "Several of our scout teams have dropped off the radar as well, Boss."

In a fit of frustration, Snake turned away from Ocelot in a sudden movement, a stream of water snaking off the back of his ponytail as he did so.

"Why wasn't I notified." Snake held his hand over his mouth and chin, muffling his words as he tried to remain calm.

"It was Millers decision. Said you were to 'preoccupied with Quiet'."

Snake remained silent, staring towards the Refugee Platform as he ran his finger lightly through his mustache hair. The soldiers in hazmat suits worked tirelessly, muddy soot having stained their yellow colored suits.

"Send the coordinates to my iDroid. I'll look into it." Snake did not look back to Ocelot as he spoke, turning towards Devil Dog.

Ocelot watched as Snake cut through the rain towards his helicopter, each step firm and landing with purpose.

* * *

Stepping into the cabin of the helicopter, Snake turned back to Ocelot, but he had already disappeared. The hanger deck was empty; the only source of movement coming from the patter of raindrops on the smooth surface. "We're Oscar Mike Pequod." Snake reached for the ramp switch.

"Roger that, Boss." Pequod's response came over the intercom as Devil Dog jerked into the air, rocking slightly with the wind.

Snake didn't turn to face his crew until the ramp had sealed tight. Looking around at them - Wire, Wasp, and Doc - he realized it had been some time since they had been out in the field together. Acknowledging their presence with a slow nod, Snake sat down in his seat.

 _Something doesn't feel right…_

Standing back up, Snake looked around the cabin curiously. Wire, recognizing his strange movements, gave him a concerned glance before returning to his communications equipment.

 _There is something that doesn't belong…_

Snake couldn't shake the feeling that a pair of eyes was watching him, scanning the cabin until he fell upon a seemingly empty corner near him. A pair of green eyes…

"I know you're there."

Devil Dog's crew turned their heads to Snake when he spoke, surprised to find him facing an empty wall. But the corner was not empty for long. Moments after Snake called her out, Quiet materialized in the empty space. Startled by the sudden apparition that appeared before them, Wasp jumped from his seat, the glint of a silver pistol flashing quickly as it rose in his hand. He might have pulled the trigger had Snake not put his hand up, never taking his eye off of Quiet.

Remaining silent, Snake trailed his eye up her figure, noticing the remaining cracks that scared her skin underneath her stockings.

"You shouldn't be out of bed." Snake spoke, snapping his eye up to her own.

Quiet looked around the cabin. It was unfamiliar to her, as were the gawking eyes that did not waver off of her, waiting for her response.

"I wanted to be here… with you." Quiet's words were soft and innocent; looking back towards Snake.

Snake wanted to be mad. But he didn't want to be mad at her… not after everything they had endured to bring her back. Looking towards his men, their focus had shifted in his direction. With a raise of an eyebrow, they caught the message and turned to continue their work. He knew they would still be listening, though. _Vultures._

"Quiet… sit down before you fall down." Snake accepted his defeat as he pointed to the row of seats next to him. He wasn't about to turn the helicopter around anyway.

Sitting down with a low grunt, Snake looked towards Quiet, watching as she made her way to the seat next to his own. He noticed her limp… as slight as it was. It took her only a moment to get comfortable, before stretching her legs out in front of her. Snake followed her hands as she ran them down her thighs and over her knee caps.

"Does it still hurt?"

"Hmm?" Quiet looked up from what she had been doing when Snake spoke, looking at him confusingly.

Pointing to the scars on her legs, "Does it still hurt?"

Quiet did not respond as she looked towards the marks that still scarred her body. Raising her hand, she ran a finger over a laceration that traveled from her neck to the lower bottom of her jaw. Snake couldn't help but watch as she did so. It looked so painful… and yet she was so at ease with it.

"It does sometimes." Her soft words brought Snake back to her eye's as she turned slowly to face him.

"Well, you're beginning to look much better." Snake cracked a smile as he spoke.

"Thanks, I feel better." Quiet smiled back before the two turned away from each other.

Devil Dog rattled lightly as it glided through the sky, the patter of rain against its windows faintly audible. Inside the cabin, the hum of the rotors and engine were reinforced by the group's silence. Scanning the small space, Snake watched as Devil Dog's crew went about their routine tasks… though they would often make glances towards Quiet. He didn't blame them… everything about this was strange for him as well. Looking back towards her, he watched as she adjusted in her seat… again, and again.

"Uncomfortable?" Snake inquired.

Quiet turned her head quickly, realizing he had been watching her. "A little. I guess."

"Yah… me too."

"Hmm?"

"It's just… strange is all." Snake turned away, tilting his head towards the ground. "You being here… us speaking to one another. I never imagined we would be… in a situation like this."

Quiet frowned at Snakes sullen outlook before cracking a warm smile as she rested her hand against his metallic arm. Snake couldn't feel the sensation of her touch, but caught the gesture in the peripherals of his vision. Looking up, he caught her eye's… her pupils glowed with color.

"I always hoped this day would come."

A low chuckle escaped Snake's lungs, accompanied by a slight smirk. "As I recall… there was a day when you wanted me dead."

Quiet opened her mouth to protest but spoke no words, instead retreating to a reddened blush as she turned her head away in shame. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be… things might have turned out different."

Quiet smiled at Snake's words, looking back towards him. "Thanks."

For the rest of the flight, the two sat in silence. Truth be told, Snake found even himself growing restless for conversation but knew anything they shared would be overheard by the rest of the crew. For now, he decided it was best to let her rest, watching as the girl slipped into the land of dreams with each passing hour.

* * *

 **Northern Kubal, Afghanistan  
** **LZ outside Spugmay Keep**

 **Later that Day**

Snake held his hand close to his face, shielding himself from the dust and sand that flew violently in the air, kicked up by Devil Dog's rotors. He had forgotten how resilient Quiet's body was to natural disturbances, noticing how she just stood next to him without flinching a muscle. As the helicopter rose into the air, the dust began to disperse; settling against the warm ground, or being carried away on the gentle breeze.

As the rhythmic beat of Devil Dog faded away, silence fell upon the countryside; as silent as the countryside can be, anyway. Scanning the horizon, Snake listened to the chirp of birds in the distance and the rustle of the wind as it broke over the hills and mountains that tattooed Afghanistan's landscape. The last time he was here… he couldn't even remember, but, he had to admit, being out in the field was something he missed. Standing amongst the sand and stone, the wildlife, it was all refreshing… rejuvenating an energy he hadn't felt in his muscles for a long time.

The sound of Quiet moving next to him reminded him he wasn't alone. Turning towards her, Snake brought out his iDroid and blew up a holographic map of the surrounding area between them.

"This here," Snake pointed to a red dot that flashed every couple of seconds. It located amidst the ruins of Spugmay Keep. "… is our destination. It's less than a Klick away, so it shouldn't take us long. Normally I would have you scout the area out ahead of me, but your in no condition to travel on your own yet. So just stick with me."

Quiet nodded her head firmly in acceptance of his decision.

The pair traveled in silence for the duration of their journey. Snake blazed the trail while Quiet followed at a moderate distance. Often times he would stop and look back towards her, but her focus was never on him. Rather, the surrounding landscape had done a spectacular job of capturing his attention. Snake wanted to wonder what could have been so interesting about the birds in the sky and the critters on the ground, but supposed if he had been out of it for two years… those things might have seemed interesting as well.

"Quiet?"

"Hmm?" Quiet snapped her attention to Snake, realizing that he had been staring in his direction.

"You okay?"

"Yah… I just… I don't remember the world being so full of life."

As she spoke, Snake caught a glimpse of movement in his peripherals. Blinking, the fuzzy object came into focus. It was a butterfly, brightly colored blue. Reaching out, he opened his palm. As if it expected the gesture, the butterfly land gently in his open hand, fluttering its wings slowly. Snake noticed one of its wings was clipped, torn… broken. And yet it continued to fly. _How?_

"Snake? Is something wrong?"

Snake looked at Quiet. She was closer now and had a confused expression across her face. Looking back at his open hand, the butterfly was gone. _Had it even been there?_

"Nothing, let's continue." Snake turned and continued up the path.

* * *

Spugmay Keep was empty.

Walking through the archways of the ruins, Snake wasn't sure what he would find, but he sure as hell didn't expect to find the location untouched. Bringing up his map, he had to double check their positioning.

"We should be right on top of it." Snake closed his iDroid, looking around.

"What are we looking for?" Quiet inquired as she looked through the rubble of the ruins.

"I'm not sure. I thought it would be something big… but it might just be the transmitter, which is about the size of a grape." A feeling of deja vu came over Snake as he looked around. It was like trying to find that film canister years ago.

The sun was blistering hot, shining down onto the ruins with little to block the rays of light. The staleness of the air didn't help the heat either, the wind having died down. Afghanistan is like the ocean, the deadness of the wind is only a sign for something greater to come. A powerful sandstorm loomed on the horizon, engulfing the mountains like rocks on a sandy beach. They didn't have a lot of time left.

"Snake…"

Snake took his eye off the horizon when Quiet called him. Looking towards her, her attention wasn't directed at him… but up. Following her line of sight, Snake raised his eye until it landed on what they had been searching for… but not what he expected. Hanging between two archways was a corpse. A Diamond Dog patch was visible on his jacket. The embedded diamond glistened in the sun.

"Shit… Quiet, can you get him down?" Snake looked towards his companion.

Quiet nodded, the black spots of a butterfly taking form across her eyes before phase jumping to the top of the arch. Leaning over carefully, she cut the rope with her knife. Snake watched as the body plummeted to the ground, landing with a thud and a plume of dust.

Walking close to the body, Snake inspected his fallen soldier. His body was already pale as snow. _He died days ago, maybe weeks._ The body was already void of blood, having been drained through the gash present across his neck. _His throat was slit._ Bruises on his wrists where noticeable against the pale skin. _Rope bindings. He must have been captured before killed._

"Did you know him?"

Snake turned his head when Quiet spoke, noticing her standing behind him before looking back towards the bodies face… "no."

Snake cocked his head when he noticed it… a crude carving on the man's forehead. Raising his hand, he placed two fingers on the wound, tracing the lines. It formed a pentagon…

"Does it mean anything to you?" Quiet watched intently at Snake's slow movements.

Snake didn't respond. His mind was lost in thought… back to Pripyat… back to the soldiers he faced… back to the pentagonal shipped patches they wore…

 _D.I.A._

Quiet stepped back, surprised, as Snake rose to his feet quickly. He scanned the horizon frantically, searching for anything that might be alive or watching… but the only source of movement was the ever growing sandstorm.

"Time for us to go." Snake didn't look towards Quiet as he reached down, pulling an iDroid from the body. A faint pinging sound resonated from it's speakers. _If there's any information about what happened, it will be on here._

* * *

 **Devil Dog  
** **En Route to Mother Base**

The ride back was relatively silent. The crew mulled around their duties, Snake having not opened up about what they discovered in Afghanistan. Quiet respected his silence, choosing to avoid the discussion… though she hoped he would begin to talk about something; anything.

"Quiet." The tone of Snake's voice was kind and gentle… it was unlike him.

Regardless, Quiet looked towards him with a smile, happy that her wish was being granted.

"I just… wanted to let you know… that you did well. Welcome back. I… I'm glad to have you back."

Quiet could tell Snake was choosing his words carefully, but they excited her all the same. "Thank you, for bringing me back."

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters**

"Quiet? Your out of bed?" Ocelot's expression as he watched Snake and Quiet approach was of bewilderment and amusement. Not like anything could really surprise the cowboy, anyway. "I trust you found what you were searching for?"

"Here." Snake extended his arm, passing the iDroid they had collected to Ocelot. "I can't access the data, its been encrypted."

"I'll get the R&D boys on it right away." Ocelot inspected the device carefully. "And you?"

Snake turned away from Ocelot without giving a response. In the distance, he noticed the burnt remains of the Refugee platform… men in hazmat suits still rummaging through the ruins.

"We're heading out again, for Cyprus." Snake turned towards Ocelot, his voice growing deeper as he gave one final command. "If you hear anything from our other lost teams… I better be the first to know."

 _Revealing the truth is like lighting a match. It can bring light or it can set your world on fire._


	14. Truth

Snake looked around him, everything he had built up… everything he had worked for…

Destroyed.

The hallway was dark and hazy with smoke. An orange light flickered around a corner as the crackle of flames echoed softly. Snake listened to the sounds. There was a strange peacefulness to it all… the sizzle and pop of the fires that raged close by. There was no more gunfire, no more screams, no more cries of death… just the low murmur of his home crumbling around him.

Snake was sitting, slumped against a wall, as he listened to the sounds around him. Even if he had wanted to get up, his body no longer responded. A searing pain in his side caused him to grit his teeth forcefully as he attempted to breathe in for a gasp of air, but his lungs could hold none of it in. Placing his hand on his side, there was nothing to feel but static numbness.

Another sound joined the crackle of the fires. It was like water dripping from a sink, a wet tap. Pulling his hand away, Snake blindly stared at his blood covered fingers. Slowly, a drop would form, pausing on his fingertips before falling to the ground.

Shaking, Snake reached for the patch on his left arm. Mustering what energy he could, the threads came loose as he tore it from his jacket. There was little light around him and the air was smoky, but Snake knew what the patch said… tracing his bloodied finger over the lettering.

Tossing the patch to his side, Snake looked up towards the figure standing over him. Closing his eye, he accepted his fate.

His role was complete…

* * *

 **Chapter XIV** _  
Truth_

* * *

 **Devil Dog  
** **En Route to Cyprus  
** **0130 Hours**

"How were your two years?"

Snake looked up from his iDroid when he heard Quiet's voice. Pulling out his earbuds, he turned off Ocelot's briefing of Cyprus and the hospital. "Hmm?"

"The past two years. How were they for you?" Quiet was sitting across from Snake, her hands clasped together between her legs.

Snake bowed his head in thought. He hadn't thought about that time much, it had always been business as usual. "It… it was alright, I suppose."

Quiet broke her attention from Snake, looking around the cabin of the helicopter; inspecting everything she could see. "Everything is so different from the last time I was here."

Snake stifled a chuckle, realizing what she was getting at. "Yah, I guess we did grow in the time you were gone. You don't really think about it much when you're amongst it every day."

"Mother Base as well. It's a lot bigger."

Snake nodded slowly. "Over 1200 strong, and growing. In fact, we're hoping to begin construction on some new platforms in the near future."

Quiet smiled warmly towards Snake. He couldn't help but feel a strange happiness… something he hadn't experienced in a long time.

Quiet's smile quickly dissolved, though, as she glanced away in thought. "When I sneaked on board the other day, I couldn't help but notice all those men… rummaging through what looked like the wreckage of one of your platforms."

Snake's eye widened, surprised at the sudden question before turning his head away quickly. With the sensation of his heart rapidly beating against his chest, he scanned the cabin of the helicopter… the crew were fast asleep; except for Pequad. It was just him, and Quiet.

Slowing his heart with a deep inhale, Snake turned back towards Quiet. She had never taken her eye off him, her expression full of interest.

"I ordered the platform destroyed… burned." Snake started, meeting her eye's with his own. "It was the only way to prevent another outbreak… of the Vocal Cord Parasite."

Quiet leaned back in her seat as Snake spoke, her eye's reddening. "English?"

Snake did not respond at first, pulling out his phantom cigar. Rolling it around between his fingers, he looked up to meet her eye's. The single word he spoke hushed to a whisper, but his raspy voice still resonated in the cabin.

"Yes…"

Quiet snapped her gaze away from Snake, bringing her hand to cover her mouth. Looking back down at his cigar, Snake didn't need a response from her… he was smart enough to recognize the conflicting emotions present simply from her reaction.

Pulling out his iDroid, Snake placed the cigar between his lips carefully. Igniting an electric flame, he hovered it over the tip of the cigar and took in a few puffs. Within a few seconds, time seemed to have evaporated…

* * *

 **Dhekelia SBA Memorial Hospital  
** **Cyprus  
** **0300 Hours**

"We will be over the DZ in about five minutes."

Pequad's voice came over the intercom, waking Snake up from his sleep. Looking around, Devil Dogs crew was actively preparing for the mission. Focussing his eye across the cabin, he noticed Quiet still bowed over in her seat, her head lowered towards the ground. Her bangs prevented him from catching a glimpse of her eyes.

"Quiet?"

The girl looked up when Snake called her name. If there was any composure she had been attempting to maintain, he managed to see through it; recognizing the red swelling in her eye's and the glossy dampness apparent on her cheeks.

"You alright?"

"Hmm? Oh, ya…" Quiet rubbed her eye's with her gloved hand as she sat up in the seat.

Snake grunted at her response but decided not to press the topic. They were here for something else. "Alright. Time to go."

Quiet gave him a firm nod as she stood up. Standing up, as well, Snake motioned towards Wasp who proceeded to grab two SMGs off of the weapon rack. Accepting the weapon, Snake strapped it to the front of his suit before looking towards Quiet. A smirk crossed his lips when he recognized the disappointed look in her eye's as she inspected the weapon.

"Well get you something proper after we return to base."

Realizing her dissatisfied inspection had been caught, Quiet looked towards Snake embarrassedly. "No, it's alright… just smaller than I'm used to."

"Neblagodarny ved'ma!"

Snake and Quiet both glanced towards Wasp with confused expressions, though the scowl on his face gave Snake a pretty good idea how he was feeling. _Probably not happy with her judgement of the weapon…_

Disgruntled or not, Wasp returned to his station after receiving a disapproved glance from his Boss.

"Alright Boss, this is where you get off." Pequad's voice cracked over the intercom.

"You ready?"

Humming slightly, Quiet nodded before following Snake to the helicopters ramp.

As the hydraulics pushed it open, Snake could recognize the skeleton of the hospital in the distance. A chill traveled down his spine as he looked over the scorched stone, and inside the blackened windows. Squinting, Snake noticed a figure… standing behind the cracked glass of one of the windows. Scrambling for his in-scope, Snake pulled it up to his eye… but the figure had disappeared.

"See something?"

Snake lowered the scope when he heard Quiet's voice behind him, keeping his naked eye on the window. "No…"

* * *

The Hospital had seen better days…

From his briefing with Ocelot, Snake was aware that the hospital was still standing… though with great surprise considering the Man on Fire had burned a good portion of it down two years ago. What he did not expect, was to find it standing almost exactly how he left it. Sure, after so much time, nature had begun to retake the land, but the wreckage still remained. Inside, the walls had blackened from the fires that burned overnight. Those that had been untouched by the flames were littered with bullet holes and stains of blood still soaking into the wallpaper. Corpses were scattered on every floor… some in patient garb… others, Cypher. The smell of decaying flesh and bone was intolerable, causing Snake to cough violently as he stepped into the main lobby.

"What are we looking for?" Quiet's voice was muffled behind her hand, looking around as she followed Snake.

"I don't know…" In all honesty, Snake was being truthful about that observation. Not even he was sure what he was looking for.

"Is there something you hope to find?"

Snake stopped, considering the words of her question. Turning towards Quiet, he watched as she disgustingly looked towards the decomposing bodies. "The truth…"

"To what?"

Snake turned away, gazing towards the balcony and the doorway that led into the rest of the hospital. There was a figure in the opening, shadowed and unrecognizable… except for the missing arm and horn that protruded from its head. A sharp stinging in Snake's mind forced him to turn away, closing his eye tightly as he waited for the pain to subside.

When the throbbing in his head ended, Snake looked back towards the doorway… the figure had disappeared. "I don't know what I'll find… but something led me here, Quiet." He turned to her, noticing the concern she had in her eye's. "I've been seeing ghosts… phantoms… visions, I don't know. But something wants me to find… something."

The two stood in silence for a time that felt like an eternity, their eye's locked together. They both wanted to say something, but neither of them wanted to be the first to speak. Finally, Snake turned his head away with a grunt… he knew he had probably already said too much. The sensation of a hand on his cheek surprised him though, following as Quiet turned his head back towards her.

"Snake…" There was a crack in her voice, causing her to pause as she recomposed herself. "This uncertainty… I understand. The past two years…" Her words started growing shaky as each breath began to hitch. "It was torture! At first… I thought of you… day and night. You were in my dreams… begging me to keep pushing… just for one more day." Quiet's eyes began to deepen a bloodshot red as she spoke, tears beginning to form around the edges. "Then… all I wanted was for it to end. The suffering. The nightmares. Everything! But I was never granted that release." Quiet turned away when the first tear broke down her cheek, stepping away from Snake who could only stand in silence. "For two years, I lived with the uncertainty of what the next day would bring… but eventually, I found it." She turned back towards Snake, tears dampening her cheeks. But a smile quivering on her lips. "You brought me back, Snake."

"I don't understand." Snake's voice was quiet, almost like a whisper.

Quiet approached Snake slowly, again placing her hand on his cheek. "Whatever you're looking for. We'll find it. You don't need to be afraid."

"And what if what I'm looking for is something that shouldn't be found?"

"Then it wouldn't have called to you in the first place."

Snake closed his eye, breathing slowly. Though he could not feel her skin through the glove, Quiet's hand was soft on his cheek. Something in his subconscious wanted, badly, to raise is own hand to hers; but he knew it not the time nor place for those type of thoughts. Opening his eye again, Snake caught her own. They were so close together, both of them, staring at one another…

Snake's eye twitched, snapping to the empty room just beyond her shoulder. A chill slithered down his spine as he stared into the open space. He couldn't shake the thought that something, or someone… was watching. His heartbeat grew louder as he opened his ears to the surroundings. Everything was silent… except for the creak of the old building that resonated like slow moving footsteps…

"Get down!"

Without hesitation, or a second thought, Snake grabbed Quiet's shoulder, shoving her to the ground. Simultaneously, he drew his sidearm from its holster. Raising it quickly, Snake wasted no time to aim as he pulled the trigger, popping off a few rounds that echoed loudly in the room. They whizzed as they cut through the empty air, splintering against the walls with a flash of yellow sparks.

The room was silent.

Snake turned, scanning the room fiercely. Listening intently.

"Snake—"

"Shh!" Snake silenced the girl, hissing through his teeth as he hovered over her.

The building creaked again. Turning quickly, Snake fired another round. The bullet traveled faster than could be seen by human eye, but the dust that spiraled behind it like a circular tunnel hovered in the air for a moment before drifting to the ground.

Snake hitched his breath slightly as he watched the dust settle… but not on the ground. There was nothing in front of him, but the dust had collected on something physical. A person; crouched on the ground.

The figure stood slowly, brushing the dust from his shoulders, disappearing as the particles fell to the ground.

Snake stood still, his eye wide at what he had just seen. Shaking the surprise from his mind, he raised his weapon quickly, squeezing the trigger as the bullets cracked through the room like firecrackers. Plumes of dust and soot shot into air where the invisible figure stepped, running in a circular motion around Snake who attempted to follow; but his shots only ever seemed to strike the walls. Quiet shielded her head as the shell casings rained down on the ground around her.

Snake continued to pull the trigger until there was nothing left to fire, his weapon clicking as it attempted to ignite an empty chamber.

Breathing heavily, Snake scanned the room. The movement had stopped and everything fell silent. Pressing the release with his thumb, the magazine slid out effortlessly, dropping to the ground with a metallic ring. Without lowering his weapon, Snake pulled out another magazine. But before he could slide it into place, another sound caught his attention. It was a sharp hiss, not like the creaks of the building… the sound of metal sliding against metal. It was close.

Right behind him…

Turning to face his opponent, Snake watched as the figure de-camouflaged before him. He did not materialize, such as the ways of Quiet or the Skulls, but simply… appeared. It was like the pixelated photo of a digital camera coming into focus.

"You like my optic-camouflage suit, Boss?"

The man was unrecognizable, wearing a skin tight suit made of fibers that had a strange reflective tint to them. His face was covered, hidden behind a mask that resembled a skull. His voice, though… Snake recognized the Northern Vietnamese dialect of his tongue.

Snake narrowed his eye when the man appeared an arms reach in front of him, gritting his teeth when the glimmer of a blade caught his attention.

The Phantom Assassin lunged, thrusting his knife towards his victims chest. Without hesitation, Snake reacted, dropping his pistol to gain a free hand. Before the knife could pierce him, Snake grabbed the Assassin's arm, sweating as he glanced towards the knife that had nicked his suit. Using the pistol magazine as a brace for his knuckles in his prosthesis, he struck back at his attacker, aiming for his jawbone. But the Assassin was agile, catching Snake by surprise as he fluidly dodged the strike before kicking himself off of Snake and out of his grip.

Snake stumbled backward before regaining his composure, but the Assassin had already vanished.

Quiet was still on the ground, looking around the room quickly before catching Snake's eye. The two shared a glance for but a moment.

"You can't beat me Snake. I know all your moves."

Snake could not pinpoint the source of the voice, scanning the room as the words echoed off the walls. "Who are you?"

"We are one in the same, Snake. Both Phantoms. Both serving a purpose to someone greater. The only difference… you don't know it yet."

Snake reached down, grabbing his pistol from the ground before sliding the magazine into it. "I serve no one but myself."

"That's what you're conditioned to believe. But you're going deeper… exploring a grave that should remain buried."

The rubble on the ground crackled as it cracked underneath Snake's boot, each step slow and calculated. Scanning around him with his pistol held close to his face, Snake reached his hand out to Quiet, helping her to her feet before pointing towards the staircase. The Butterfly took shape across her eyes as she covered Snake's back. The pair crept slowly, their ears open, and their eyes searching for the slightest of movements.

"I don't want to kill you, Snake. He wouldn't like that. But if you continue this path your on…"

Snake noticed the shifting of soot in his peripherals but did not turn his head towards it. A cocky smile crossed his lips as he waited, lowering his weapon meticulously as he re-holstered it.

"I have my orders!"

The Phantom Assassin de-camouflaged, lunging at Snake swiftly, but he was ready. Hardening his stance, Snake shifted to his left. Raising his prosthesis to deflect the strike, Snake caught the knife in his arm. The blade was sharp, piercing the metal; but he felt no pain. In the same motion, Snake struck back, catching his enemy in the throat. The assassin stumbled back, coughing violently, but Snake did not let up; kicking his leg to throw him off balance before spinning him over onto his back.

When the assassin managed to regain focus, Snake was standing over him, holding his weapon to his face.

"Who do you work for?!" Snake snarled.

The Phantom Assassin did not answer, staring at snake through his mask. It started off soft, but a low chuckle began to echo in the room… "Well Boss, I guess it is true what they say. You really are the best. You've bested me, the secrets of this place are your's. But, I warn you… you're not ready for the truth."

In a blink of an eye, the assassin disappeared from underneath Snake. Reacting, he fired his weapon; but the bullet ricocheted off the stone surface, sparking in Snakes face.

"Good luck…"

The voice bounced around the walls, deeply, until it faded away. All was silent again.

Snake turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder, recognizing the worried look in Quiets expression.

"You're hurt." Quiet raised Snake's prosthesis as she spoke, glancing towards the knife that remained embedded in his arm.

Snake inspected the weapon, moving his fingers slowly to ensure he still had control. "It's nothing."

Quiet watched silently as Snake pulled the weapon from his arm slowly, careful to avoid causing any more damage. "We need to keep moving."

The two of them had barely made it out of the entrance hall when the sound of helicopter rotors could be heard outside. The barking of orders traveled through corridors like the wind as soldiers stormed the building. Snake hugged the wall as he watched the men from around the corner. An alien chill traveled down his spine when he recognized the uniforms… those from Pripyat.

* * *

 **Mother Base  
** **Seychelles Waters**

 **Ocelot's Quarters**

" _Incorrect Authorization Code, Access Denied."_

"Shit…"

Frustrated, Ocelot rubbed his chin as he inspected the iDroid he had been working with tirelessly for hours. He wouldn't admit it, but by this point, the soft pinging it continually produced was driving him mad. In fact, the only thing that prevented him from throwing against a wall was his self-control, having already exhausted his repertoire of troubleshooting ideas, and all of the passwords he could think of. The only thing left was to hook it up to the mainframe and expunge the data from the device forcefully…

But that was a bad idea, and he knew it.

* * *

Snake hugged the wall as close as he could, concealing himself in the shadows as a group of soldiers passed by. He watched as they scanned the hallway with their flashlights, holding his breath as one of their beams passed to his left. Thankfully, the corner he was in was just tight enough to be missed by their light, exhaling slowly as the group continued.

"Let's go." Snake motioned down the hallway as he stepped out of the shadows.

Quiet materialized in an instant, standing close to where Snake had been. Taking a quick glance towards the lights that glowed down the hallway, she followed him in the opposite direction.

"Those men… the pentagon on their armband… the shape carved into that man's skull… Snake?" Quiet kept her voice low as she spoke, following close behind Snake.

"I know… there's a connection."

Two years ago, an attack helicopter had blown a hole in the side of the hospital in an attempt to take out the Man on Fire. Though tree branches now protruded through it, Snake was not surprised to discover it was still present. Pointing through the branches, Quiet followed his finger to the wreckage of the helicopter, its rusty metal body becoming one with nature. Holding up his flashlight, the hallway held a familiar sight as well… the mangled and bullet ridden corpses of a dozen or more bodies.

"It was like pigs at the slaughter…" Try as hard as he may, Snake couldn't shake the thoughts of that evening as he stepped over the decaying corpses.

Quiet remained silent as she followed Snakes path, holding her hand over her mouth in a combination of disgust and shock. He didn't expect her to respond…

Up a flight of stairs and down another hallway, Snake couldn't help but feel like the weight of the hospital was beginning to press down on him… push him forward… draw him closer. The hiss of a gas grenade rang in the distance as the air around him thickened with smoke. The hallway seemed to grow longer with each step, the light of his flashlight dimming as the darkness suffocated it.

" _Snake…"_

A ghostly howl echoed from within the depths… or was it simply the wind.

" _Snake…"_

Snake's ears burned… something was calling him forward.

"Snake!"

Snake almost collapsed when he felt her hand land on his shoulder, but he grabbed the wall, his head spinning wildly. Quiet moved to support him, but stepped back as he held his hand up. "I'm alright… just got dizzy is all."

"What happened?… you just froze for a second." Snake could sense the genuine concern in her voice.

"This place… there are strong memories here… but I'm fine. Besides, we're close."

Stepping into the room was… strange. Snake knew he had been in here before, but at the same time, it felt different. It was like there was a presence not yet identifiable to him. Taking a deep breath, be began to look around. What am I looking for?

The nurse and the doctor remained where they had died, decomposing. Shaking his head, Snake looked towards Quiet. He recognized the twitching of her eye as she looked towards the bodies… recognizing her handiwork.

"You okay?" Quiet snapped her eyes to Snake when he spoke.

"Yah… I…" Quiet broke eye contact, looking back towards the bodies as her words slowed.

"You feel sorry for them now…"

Quiet nodded in response. "Is that a sign of weakness?"

"No…"

Snake took his attention off the bodies as he stepped further into the room. The sheets of the bed he had once resided in were still a mess; from when he had been thrown from them. Running his prosthetic over them reminded him… reminded him of the night he found out. He sighed as he lifted his fingers, the soft sensation of the fabric still tingling on them. He knew it wasn't real.

Looking up, Snake noticed Quiet standing near the window. Though he couldn't see her expression, she appeared to be deep in thought, bowing her head slightly. It wasn't until she turned to face him, did Snake notice the tear that had slowly traveled down her cheek.

"I… I'm Sorry."

Stepping close to her, Snake placed his hand on the Quiet's cheek, wiping the tear away with his thumb.

"Don't be. We were different people then."

Pulling his hand away, Snake motioned to turn back towards the room. Before he could do so, though, Quiet caught him by the hand, holding his tightly between both of hers.

"Quiet?" Snake looked back to her, a little surprised and confused.

Her eyes wavered as she looked him in the eye, tightening her lips before opening them slightly… though she spoke no words. Looking back to the ground, Quiet released her grip on Snake's hand.

Turning back to the room, Snake raised his flashlight. Nothing out of the ordinary… well, except for the state the room was in to begin with. A cart flipped over, broken bottles, glass scattered everywhere,… then it stuck out to him.

 _The Star of Bethlehem._

The vase sat perfectly on the bedside table, with a collection of white flowers standing beautifully out of the top. It was a stark contrast to the rest of the room. _Someone must have placed it there purposefully._

Quiet watched intently as Snake walked closer.

Picking the vase up, Snake stared at the flowers for a moment before turning his head. Giving it a light shake, the tap of something on the inside echoed softly.

 _This is it…_

Without a second thought, Snake smashed the vase against the table. The shattered pieces fell instantly to the ground, but the flowers hovered for a moment, drifting to the ground slowly. Snake smiled as he followed the flowers, noticing the cassette tape that lay amongst them. Reaching down, he picked it up and flipped it over in his hand. The words were crudely written, but he could make out the inscription.

 _From the Man Who Sold the World._

Flipping it over, Snake did not understand the backside…

 _Operation Intrude N313._

"You missed something."

Quiet was next to Snake, sifting through the broken pieces of the vase before holding up a folded piece of paper. He took it from her hand, running his thumb through the crease to open it. It was a photo… from before. The MSF days. Snake cocked his head as he looked at the men in the picture. They seemed so happy. There was Morpho on the right; the pilot before the destruction of Mother Base. Kaz was next to him, with a grin across his face. Snake recognized himself next. Amazing how much younger he looked; how much the attack had changed him.

There was a man next to Big Boss in the photo, but Snake did not recognize him… at least not by name. The scratching in his mind began to strengthen as Snake stared at the man. There WAS something familiar about his face. Like he had seen it before… but not in person.

 _My visions!_

In an instant it all came to Snake. Take away an arm and put shrapnel in his head, and the man in the photo resembled the phantom that had continuously appeared to him.

 _Why have you brought me here?_

Snake pondered the question as he inspected the photo, thinking on what the phantom had said to him in the past. _"To remember who you are."_ But there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary. Flipping the photo around, Snake looked at the backside. He hadn't noticed the words earlier; written on the back. The lettering resembled the inscription on the cassette tape. But it was the words that caught Snake by surprise…

 _Good Luck, John Shepard  
_ -" _Vic" Boss_

A searing pain the back of his mind. Snake cried out, collapsing to his knees. What happened next…

 ** _Wake up, you're not dead._** A ghostly voice. Everywhere and nowhere.

 _Where am I? What are you?_

 ** _I am you, and you are me. I am a guide to help you understand._**

 _What?_

 ** _The truth. Now please, let us begin. Tell me, what do you see._**

 _Nothing, I see nothing._

 ** _Not with your eyes. Your mind. What does your mind see?_**

 _I see… I see a young man, maybe early to mid 20's. He is enlisting, for the war in Vietnam. He appears to be excited. His friend is excited as well._

 ** _Good. Now, what do you see?_**

 _The young man does not appear happy anymore. The war has been long and hard._

 ** _What does the man do?_**

 _He is a combat medic. He is good at saving people. The other soldiers look up to him and he seems to hold a position of authority._

 ** _Then why is he unhappy?_**

 _Because he can't save them all._

 ** _This is the way of war._**

 _He couldn't save his friend…_

 ** _I see. What do you see now?_**

 _The young man, he is wounded. His being given a purple heart, and has been honorably discharged._

 ** _Is this not a good thing?_**

 _No. The young man has no home to go back to. The battlefield was his home._

 ** _What is he doing now?_**

 _He is visiting the grave of his friend. I can tell he is sad. But… there is another man in the graveyard. A man with an eyepatch. He is there visiting a lost friend as well. He is telling the young man stories about his mentor and how he plans on starting a private military. One where soldiers can be free of their governments. The young man is interested, excited even. Why is all this so familiar?_

 ** _Because your mind is beginning to become your own again. Please, continue. Does the young man join the man with the eyepatch?_**

 _Yes, and they become good friends. The young man's skills are valuable to the other. The man with the eyepatch appears to be investing a lot of time in training the young man, who has become an incredibly skilled soldier._

 ** _Tell me about Paz._**

 _Paz. The girl the man with the eyepatch rescued. He brought her on board their helicopter and the young man removed a bomb from her._

 ** _What about after Mother Base was attacked?_**

 _They got away… but there was another. There was another bomb in the girl. She jumped out of the helicopter and it exploded. The young man jumped in front of the man with an eyepatch. Protecting him._

 ** _What happened to the young man?_**

 _He didn't die. But his body was littered with shrapnel… including his forehead. And his left arm… it was amputated. The young man… he is me, and I, him._

 ** _Yes._**

Snake opened his eye, looking up dazedly towards Quiet who had crouched next to him with a hand on his shoulder. He could recognize the concern in her eyes. "How long was I out?"

She gave him a confused glance before speaking. "You just cried out and collapsed to your knees."

Snake pursed his lips as he thought about what he had just experienced. Looking down, the photo was still in his hand.

 _Good Luck, John Shepard  
_ -" _Vic" Boss_

 _John…_

Turning the picture back over, Snake looked at the line of men. The younger face on the end was no longer foreign to him. It was him…

 _John Shepard._

"I heard something, at the end of the hallway!"

The voice was muffled by the distance, but it was still audible to Snake and Quiet. Standing up, he stuffed the picture and cassette tape into a pocket and drew his weapon. "Time to leave."

* * *

 **A.N. -** Sorry, I know it has been some time since the last post. I got caught up enjoying the Division and Uncharted 4 (GREAT FUCKING GAME BTW). Anyway, this chapter was sitting half-completed on my laptop for some time, so the past two days I decided to crank the rest of it out. I'm still enjoying the hell out of this story, so expect further updates in the future. Until then, thanks for reading!


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